Monday 28 December 2015

Plains of Abraham 13 September, 1759, Quebec

This is our Nova Scotia version of the battle.
 The French regular line falls out of the walls of Quebec to try and push the British back.

The British line quietly awaits the French attack.

Amerindians allied with the French attempt to creep up on the rear of the British line
General action has commenced, with the French once again, unable to smash into the British line. The only hope for the French is for the Amerindians to put pressure on the British who could possibly pull back down the cliff. 


Sunday 27 December 2015

Amherst attacks Fort Chambly 1759

After discovering all of my metal 18th century figures, Ian has gotten back into wanting to do black powder games. This game is a what if game, of Amherst advancing towards Montreal and taking on Fort Chambly
The metal figures are from RAFM Flint and Feather and All the King's Men collections. 

In the action, Amherst was hasty and advanced too quickly towards the French lines. Rather than using his artillery to blast away the French, he used them in a supporting role. Consequently, the French still held the fort, and Amherst was forced to pull back. 

Saturday 26 December 2015

My RAFM American Colonial troops

 This force is made up of a core group of 2nd Connecucuit Regiment along with some militia and provincial troops. 

My RAFM Rangers 1754-65

I have painted up several companies of Rogers, Gorhams, New Jersey Frontier Guard,


RAFM British Line Regiments

While living in Japan, I was able to build up several regiments in plastic. These battalions/regiments are the ones I did not have painted up.
I have several buff/blue/and yellow faced regiments
Since this photo was taken, I've repainted several of these with yellow facings.
I now have every British Regiment which sent battalions to North America painted.
In future I shall be expanding my Highlanders Grenadiers

My RAFM Light Infantry

Originally, I had planned on building each group of Lights as a group of six figures, however, as with my AWI Lights, I have decided to make them as 2 figures per company
So far, I have painted  white/yellow/buff/green/orange companies. Added to some Highland companies as well.


My RAFM SYW Highlanders

 I began to collect RAFM figures about 1989 while in high school. I am still painting them up. 
Due to circumstances, I am limiting myself to the figures I have now. 
So far I have painted up 42nd Royal Highland Regiment as of 1758 post Ticonderoga.
77th Regiment, will need their green facings added.
78th Fraser's Highlanders will still need some white or buff facings.
Since I took the photo, I have painted the flesh tones in. 

Thursday 24 December 2015

Merry Christmas from Nova Scotia, CANADA

After many years, I am now celebrating Christmas back home.
We decided on a small Christmas focusing on the important things, family

a bit of good food

blending Japanese and Canadian traditions as well as our own

We got our children some small gifts, we also got a piano to help us with the gift of music.
We hope you could enjoy yours with the ones you hold dear, I was so happy to have been able to have visited my father and my step mum. More pictures to follow.


Wednesday 23 December 2015

Pike and Shot action after many months

 Ian decided to set up an ECW themed game whereby a Scottish army invades England, forcing the English player to withdrawl into a castle. He forgot that to storm a castle, one needs to keep your artillery from being taken out by enemy cavalry.

Monday 14 December 2015

Too busy, moving and car troubles

I moved again, this time I should be in the housing for an extended period.
Just a few more boxes to unpack

As well, when I was called into work on Saturday night, I was rear ended, so now I have no car until my insurance gets sorted, and my WiFi is out until Christmas Eve, so I need to visit the local coffee shop just to post
However, on 12/24 my wifi was back on. 

Wednesday 25 November 2015

Going through my BA papers on Nova Scotia/Acadia in 18th century

I studied a lot on this period and have way too much old style notes. I remember writing my first BA paper with a typewriter!

I'm toying with the idea of trying to research and rewrite some of my papers into either an Osprey book, or to get some published.
This will take time, but I shall see.
Gaming will recommence once I move into an apartment. The cost of oil is a bit high until I can get a mortage, then get my own house.

Tuesday 17 November 2015

On the move again!

Since I moved back to Nova Scotia, certain arrangements must be taken into consideration when trying to finance getting mortages for a home. I have found a two bedroom apartment close to the house I am subletting from an old friend. Luckily, my children don't have to change schools. It's also right across the street from a supermarket and close to a hotel, which means when my wife can get a work permit, she can find a job.
So there we are, need to pack my kit again and move down the street.

Wednesday 11 November 2015

All work no play

my promotion to field supervisor has meant I have one day off a week until the second supervisor is promoted to position. Consequently, my gamming has hit a snag. However, I am planning on playing some 18th century games once I pick up my metal figures from my Dad's place after the November 11th parade.
My work schedule should be smoothing out.
 November 11 Parade, Middle Musquodoboit, Nova Scotia 2015

One of my nights in my patrol car

Daddy stop taking my picture

Hey look Dad!

Thursday 29 October 2015

Louisbourg and Halloween

NSCAD students create ghost-inspired art after visit to Fortress Louisbourg

Looking to history for inspiration

By Peggy MacDonald, CBC News Posted: Oct 29, 2015 6:00 AM AT Last Updated: Oct 29, 2015 6:00 AM AT
Fortress Louisbourg ghost tour guide
(novascotia.com)
Eight students from NSCAD University have immersed themselves in history for the sake of their art.
The students spent a few days this week at the Fortress of Louisbourg in Cape Breton and even stayed over alone — except for one night watchman.
"We pretty much had the town to ourselves," said 18-year-old Kenzie Lefaivre of Canmore, Alta. "We walked around and we were allowed into the buildings, actually, and it was quite dark at night but we kind of had the run of the town."
The students will use elements of their experience at the fortress in an exhibition called Ghosts in House, said LeFaivre.
It will be about "the relationship between the ghosts of the past and the house, where the ghosts are actually, like, staying, or like, trapped,"she said.
NSCAD students feed the geese at Fortress Louisbourg
Students from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design soak up the atmosphere while drawing artistic inspiration from a stay at Fortress Louisbourg. (Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site)
Lefaivre said the fortress provided real inspiration for the project.
"There's definitely a lot of creepy, ghost-like things there," she said.
The fortress was a military hub for New France starting about 300 years ago. Some believe several spirts haunt the fortress including a wailing baby, a sea captain, a weeping nurse, and a poltergeist that locks doors and moves heavy objects.
The students also summoned some "ghosts" at Louisbourg by using an app purported to be manipulated by spirits to communicate.
Nineteen-year-old Kira Sark of Waycobah, C.B., said her perception has been changed by the experience.
"I think it gives everything more depth of feeling," she said. "Like, if you take a picture of an empty room, it might be empty but it's still full of all this history and it adds a different feeling to it."
The students were also treated to a "white glove" tour of the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site in Baddeck, where they were allowed to handle and examine the museum's artifacts.

Wednesday 28 October 2015

Grand Pre search for original village

Archeologists searching for Grand-Pré Acadian church site

Researchers measure magnetism of soil to uncover Acadian villages at Grand-Pré

By Phlis McGregor, CBC News Posted: Oct 27, 2015 7:53 PM AT Last Updated: Oct 27, 2015 11:12 PM AT
Saint Mary's University students undertake a geophysical survey at Grand Pré National Historic Site in May 2015.
Saint Mary's University students undertake a geophysical survey at Grand Pré National Historic Site in May 2015. (Jonathan Fowler)
For 15 years, archeologists have been searching for what remains of a 17th century Acadian parish church in Grand Pré. 
And by using modern archeological techniques, including equipment that searches for the "magnetic footprint" of a building, researchers believe they are getting closer to the site of the long-ago destroyed church.
The research is lead by Jonathan Fowler, the president of the Nova Scotia Archeology Society and an associate professor in anthropology at Saint Mary's University. 
The Grand Pré National Historic Site memorial church, built in the 1920s, was thought by its builders to sit on the ruins of the original.
Fowler and his team are testing that theory by analysing the soil on the site. In addition to digging up physical artifacts, the team uses electromagnetic sensing equipment (the EM38B), which measures the ability of the soil to conduct a magnetic force.
Clay wall fill (daub), hardened by fire, detected by the EM38B. Likely the remains of an Acadian bui
Clay wall fill (daub), hardened by fire, was detected by electromagnetic sensing equipment. It is likely from the remains of an Acadian building from the pre-deportation period. (Jonathan Fowler)
The device was developed by retired geophysicist Duncan McNeill, who volunteers at the site. Soil, he says, "can, to an extent can be magnetized." Which means a building that burned many years ago can still leave traces.
"Burning soil increases this magnetic property of the soil, and soils which might not have been detectable before being burnt can often be seen after the event," he says.
"Our surveys in the Grand Pré area suggest that, yes, indeed there is evidence of burning and we're picking it up geophysically." 

Search for Acadian villages

As well as the church, the team is looking for evidence of Acadian villages that once stood in the area. Fowler says there were approximately 3,000 Acadians who lived in the area before 1755.
"Piece by piece we'll put it together," he says. "And in each new piece we add gives more context and more meaning to the next piece.
"Overall, the intention is to try to map this destroyed community. There were about 30 villages in that area in 1755. Not just in the national historic site, but in the broader landscape. We know where almost none of those are. Very little work has been done."
McNeill, who has been volunteering at the site for 15 years, says the work is "extremely exciting".
"It looks like we're actually finding the real locations of where these buildings are and thus are able to learn more about the occupants by virtue of doing the archeology," he says.
"It's a very, very exciting thing to help elucidate the past. There's much to be learn of that site. And bit by bit we hope to put together a useful picture of how the Acadians lived."
Fowler says there's a science dimension, but also a "heritage dimension and a value to knowing where these things were and being at a place where important historical events took place. It's a powerful thing.

Friday 23 October 2015

My RAFM minatures have been found

My father found them in his shop, so I shall be collecting them next week. I have British line troops, American Colonial, Rangers, Militia, French Regulars, Compaigne france Milice, and Amerindians.
 RA with a Battalion gun

AWI Highlanders

80th Gage's Light Infantry

Compaigne Frances de La Marine

40th Regiment



Marines

Amerindians

77th Highlanders

Characters

Montcalm and Washington

American colonials

French

77th Pipes and Drums

the rest of the box!