Awsome figures

I've just added a link to Jason's Historical Miniatures to the sidebar. Absolutely awsome sculpted figures of american revolutionary and civil wars!

I've recently come across some 1/32 scale figures which I'm thinking of painting up and came across the above site while looking for ideas. I bought some Russian WWII infantry figures, and some relatively high quality french napoleonic gun team models at a garage sale. I'll post up a little photo essay of the experience when I do.

Update

Well. It's been awhile since I last posted again. Beginning to sound like a broken record. What's kept me so occupied? You guessed it, Renaissance Kingdoms strikes again.

I have swept ahead with my character, levelled up to become a level 2 blacksmith, spend my online day making axes swords and knives, trading on the market, chatting in the pubs, posting on the forums. The clan has grown to about 40 members, and is getting involved in most aspects of scottish life. In politics, am participating in national debate about draft constitution. Militarily, continue to take my monthly patrol with the Royal Scottish Army. Culturally, run a couple of threads on the forum at village level, moderate the clan forum, am setting up a national guild of scottish blacksmiths. Still raising pigs. Good fun.

In the bigger picture (if there is such a thing) I have started to play East Front II online again, at a much reduced rate of turn exchange with my old opponent "Red 1". I'm probably only flying once a month on IL2, but am no doubt going to take off again shortly.

In miniatures, we have cleared a room enough that it becomes feasible to think about setting up the table for the first time in this house (we moved here 18 months ago!). I'll also be able to seal off that part of the house from the smell with painting figures and scenery, which is good to know with winter coming on. I have inherited a small box of scenic accessories for 6mm from an old gaming buddy. I was selected as the most likely to use them.

Age doth take us all.

Will futher update as appropriate. Hopefully not so long between posts...

Happy New Year 2008!

Apology

Sorry for neglecting this blog for awhile. I'll try and remedy that. Have gotten too far into Renaissance Scotland online to pull back easily, though am disentangling slowly from it.

I have had a couple interesting things happen in my (non)gaming life in the last 24 hours. First, I tried to log onto the Ogame to reinvigorate the stellar empire I was building so assiduously in the not too distant past. I'd read the 'rules' and thought therefore that I was safe in leaving it awhile. Went back to log on. They'd changed the rules. My nascent empire had dissappeared.

Lucky I'm so into Renaissance Kingdoms at the moment that I didn't go into depression...

And for some strange reason, I think I'm going to be playing a game or two of Magic the Gathering this weekend. In past, hadn't enjoyed. But that's a long time ago, so will try and get rid of the sour taste and play it as a social occasion this time.

That may be a bit of a challenge against some keen teens (and forty somethings).

View to the future

This is my latest version of my forum 'signature' in rennaissance kingdom forums. I quite like it.

I will post a bit of a summary of the whole thing to this blog sometime soon, but am way too busy doing it at the moment to be writing about it. I am sure that those of you who don't mind my writting will find the wait worthwhile!

I am getting better at finding and using programs (both off and on line) that I need for specific purposes, such as creating the above graphic, and its separate components. I am adding links to some of these online applications as I go, at the moment putting them under 'Renaissance Kingdoms' heading on my MMPORG resource page.

I am still having a break from Ogame. Basically, RK is taking up to much of my waking day for there to be any time to play it!

View from the past

This is the picture I intend to use on my RK signature Banner for the moment.

The Hut and Hearth of MacTavish - RK20

My work on behalf of the Renaissance Kingdoms Scottish clan of MacTavish has continued apace. It has paid some dividend, with eight kin now claiming the name MacTavish as their own.

Two of us first required release from other clans, the MacDonalds and the Wallaces. This was achieved after discussions with those clan's respective clan leaders.

As soon as I had the minimum of 6 clan members I set off for Highlands Hall to talk to an administrator there about what happens next. 'Seer' confirmed that we needs wait until November 1 when the Court of Lyons will bestow the status of 'Founding Clan' upon us if we have a minimum of 6 members on that day. It is only then, also, that we will receive a right to a private Clan MacTavish subforum.

Clan MacTavish has members in two of Galloway's four towns. I will hopefully be heading off this week to the Village of Wigtown for a couple days in order to trace members from the Wigtown branch of the family. I will see if I can arrange an escort from the Galloway Regiment when I do this as I would fear losing my belongings to robbers otherwise (haven't heard much of their activity recently, but know that they're around).

Hut and Hearth - two new blogs!

In-game, I have had Clan MacTavish set themselves up outside Highlands Hall in an old hut (The Mactavish's Hut) to await the Great Gathering of the Clans. The Hut exists in Cyberspace in the form of a blog, publicly accessable. I have let all clan members and invitees know how to find it, as well as Seer of Lyons Hall, Alexmac of Clan MacDonald and my friend Rubyfox the weaver.

In the absence of a private subforum where we can conduct group deliberations of clan business in private, I have also set up a 'back room' within the Hut which I have called MacTavish Hearth. It is another blog, but this one has restricted access. I'd like to see other MacTavishes get access to it, all they need do is ask.

In MacTavish's Hut is posted news etc which will be of interest to all clans, it is a 'general interest' place where I must assume those who might be hostile to MacTavish will also have access. I am posting in the Hearth as well at present, even though I haven't yet been able to grant access to another this is still valuable as it will become an 'archive' of clan history and news.

These two new blogs have seen my blogger repertoire increase. They both incorporate pictures in their heading and sidebar, play music (each has its own opening bagpipe tune), and the Hearth is a group blog. I have done none of these things before and have enjoyed the result.

You can visit MacTavish's Hut here.

Trews

Rubyfox,

I am most interested in getting my first set of trews from you. On the 23rd I am likely only to be in the market at about 1000 GMT at the earliest. The first day after that that I could be there at 0300 GMT would be 27 October.

If you want to see where I am these days, we MacTavishes have set up a hut outside the Highlands Hall while we await recognition at the Gathering of the Clans. You are welcome to visit our humble hut at http://mactavishshut.blogspot.com/

Dracmuller

I really think that I should be better dressed by the time of the Gathering of the Clans in November!

The making of MacTavish - RK19 (long post)

I am probably spending way too much time in the Renaissance Kingdoms at the moment. Still, it is great fun and there isn't much else to do at night until the weather warms up and my wife returns from Scotland ...

At the moment my character is treading water with his cash flow, but has a small reserve (about 6) HHWs of pork at his home and about three days corn feed for the three healthy pigs he has in the field. The fodder shortage seems, for the moment, to be over.

What is taking up all the time is the fact that I have got involved in creating a clan.

I was originally asked to join the Wallace clan (amongs others), and did so. Only thing is, someone said they'd let me know when they formally added me to the list. They didn't. I didn't know if I was in the clan or not. I started thinking about clans, and had a looksee about the clanscape of RK in more detail while I waited my chance to claim the Wallace name.

I waited and waited and waited. I sent queries - if you are to deny me my birthright, will you not do it to me face?! All to no avail. I decided to make my own clan - that of MacTavish.

First, I had to remove myself from the Clan Wallace (having invited several folk already to join me in MacTavish before discovering that I had actually been signed over to Wallace, I couldn't let them down) - She who raised me is Wallace. She who birthed me was MacTavish. I knew this not until recently. It explains many things that made no sense before.

The important thing was then to make contact with other characters and convince them to adopt the MacTavish name. Rather than send short blunt out-of-character messages in a mass mailing fashion (= spam), I instead started tracking along the 'trust' links on suitable character profiles.

Thus, I'd be tracing networks of players who had already met in game. If they spoke to their neighbors of having received a clan invite there was a fair chance that the neighbor had also received such an invite.

I target those I mail to. If I know of and like them and they aren't part of the power structure, they might get one. If they are active players of about my ingame age or of artistic flair (using profiles to judge character), they might get one. I run their names off against a publicly available list of who's in which clan (still a minority overall, but definitely a majority of the most active players).

Before I started doing this clan membership check I got a couple replies that a player is already in a particular clan. That's why I started checking names. Each invite is a lot of work and I don't want to waste the effort. So I don't send my invites intentionally to members of other clans.

No two invites are the same. They each tell a a story as to why I am writing them, link them and Clan MacTavish, provide a sentence long history of the clan, and include a brief summary either of an ancestor's 'famous' quality (strong, wise, beautiful, good drinker, oathmaker, etc) or of their deeds (raised his kilt to distract the raiders, ate a pig in a sitting as a matter of honour, fed the valley on crop of potatoes during famine).

The invites explain what will happen next if the reader accepts - I will wait until there enough MacTavishes behind me and I then intend to go to Highland Hall to claim our hearth (subforum) and our vote.

They conclude with a toast - (raises glass) To the honour of MacTavish and the glory of Scotland!

I have sent out 20 of these mini-essays so far.

I have had five positive responses in about 48 hours, a couple queries, and a couple who have declined because already members of another clan. When I receive one more acceptance of the invitation I will get us on the forums with our own private subforum, as well as a vote in the Hall of the Clans (who I suspect will one day chose a King for Scotland).

I am thinking I will set up a (group?) blog for the Clan as well.

There are four towns in the County. I have sent messages to characters in three of them, mainly my native Whithorn and the nearby coastal village of Dummore. All members of the clan so far come from these last two villages.

Of the 20 invitations I've sent, none went to level 3 characters, 1 went to a level 2, about 15 went to level 1, and 4 have gone to level 0. Thus, I am creating a clan whose membership will be composed of those like myself, committed beginners.

A small clan, we will all have more of a say than in the big clans. A fairly egalitarian clan, we won't end up all dancing to "the leader's" tune. A developing clan, we will change as we grow and level up. Lots of room for fun.

Over time this might become an adventure in itself. As one of the acceptees put it to me in his reply email...

Well i am gladly to join your humble clan and try making Mactavish ancestry and Scotland a good name.

Looking forward to it!

I have put a link to this map of England and Scotland in my resources page.

Call to the Clan - RK 18

Greetings from Clan MacTavish!

When I was abandoned by my mother Eileen, she left with the old woman in whom she trusted my care a small thistle and an old parchment. The thistle is personal, the parchment I have had read to me by a literate soul from the County Prosecutor's Office.

The parchment contains a genealogy of some of my mother's ancestors from the region of Strathclyde, more famous for the Wallace Clan's origin but also home of the first Scottish King (Kenneth) and our own clan, the MacTavishes.

I am seeking to have our clan officially recognised at present, before those such as our humble selves are shut out of the halls of power by the requirement for 'nobility' prior to recognition. Being a humble clan, I doubt we have many nobles, but that shouldn't prevent us from having a say in Scotland's future. Afterall, it's our country too!

From what I understand of my mother's parchment, you are related to us, with origin in the now vanished Dunn of Tavish (just north of Loch Lomond). Your grand pappy was a cousin of mine and they had many a happy raid together!

In honour of our shared descent, I ask you to reply to this message as soon as possible if you are prepared to accept the title of MacTavish, and willing to strive for the honour of our small but friendly clan and the glory of Scotland.

Yours truly,
MacTavish of Whithorn

Whithorn Association of Pig Farmers - RK17

Greetings, fellow pig farmer!

I just wanted to inform you that I and a few like minded souls are considering forming a local group of pig farmers to co-ordinate buying and selling practices within our industries.
The result will hopefully be a better living to be had by us and less stress.

If you are interested in this, please reply.

Yours,
xxxx of Whithorn

I sent the above letter, or one much like it, to all of the pigfarmers I located on the town roll. There were 6 in total, though one has since replied - saying that he's moved onto Wigton. I've had a couple of responses expressing interest. I have let Savanna know that I am thinking of setting up the WAPF and might make her job a bit easier. Now I just gotta work out what can be done...

A week in the life of ... RK 16

My weekly summary of stats and spending in my peasant's world of Renaissance Kingdoms.

Stats: In 4 - St 8 - Ch 5 - Reputation 10 ( 7 from trust)
Inventory: 73p - 8 corn bags - 1 knife - 4 HHW Pork
Farm: 1 fleshy pig (7 days old)

Sun Collect 22,50 owed by county. But 3 corn @ 3,50 at market. Feed 1 pig corn (none available to buy). Eat bread. Work in mines. Above status dates from this moment.
Sun Evening buy 2 piglets @ 25p after receiving word from Lady Savanna that she's nearby. Buy a beer @ ,90 in celebration at The Crown. Purchase 1 corn @ 3,40 and 1 corn @ 3,45 and 1 vegetables @ 11,0 from the market. Sell 1 HHW @ 15 to TH autobuy to save 15p for emergencies at my home.

Town Stats for Oct 13 GMT:
----------Fields----------October 13Number of wheat fields: 40 (Need more)Number of corn fields: 35 (Need more)Number of vegetable gardens: 32 (Need more)Number of cow ranches: 4 (Need less)Number of sheep ranches: 5Number of pig ranches: 6

Mon Buy 3 corn @ 3,50 and 1 bread @ 6,50 at market, eat 1 meal @ 6,50and have a couple beers at The Highlander. Feed 3 pigs corn. Join the Galloway Regiment (Royal Scottish Army).

Return to Okinawa & Ogame Restart

I have just had my first flight in months on IL46, WWII flightsim. Flew a Lightning over Okinawa, rocketing Japanese airfield targets. Hit nothing of value. Shot down shortly after by 200Sagakawa.

It didn't take too long to remember all relevant controls in this 'full real' server. I was able to navigate with no problems. I did feel, however, that i knew way too little about my plane to fly it properly. For example, in the climb with bandit behind i should have got away. But didn't.

I might start putting in the odd appearance in the skies over the next few weeks, and see if I can build upon where I was at skill-wise when I left off last time.

I have also recommenced my Ogame. After almost a week on 'vacation' mode, I am ranked 1394 with 16,297 points.

Dear prosecutor ... RK 15

My latest letter to the pulic prosecutor of the County of Galloway in Renaissance Kingdoms:

Kind sir,

You ask me to ask what questions I will. I trust that my doubts be not mistaken for treason. They are not. I am a proud scotsman through and through.

And as such it concerns me that we scotts have the misfortune of being judged by a set of laws which are not yet constitutionally enacted. The enabling act appears to not exist.

Instead, rather than being subject to the rule of law, we must await the approval of the good count. Until his pleasure, it is a provisional set of rules which are used to convict and imprison. Yet the punishments meted out are NOT provisional in their effect upon those so judged.

I know not the words by which legal reasoning would hold such a system to account, but to my peasant nose, it smells.

It also concerns me that we have no right of appeal against a decision of the court. I understand the reasoning behind the situation (Scotland being constituted at present of but one county), this does not make it correct. Without the right of appeal, at least upon the facts, how is it that we can be protected against our courts becoming but another arm of some future oppressor?

I apologise if my wordy skill matches not my sense of something not quite right.

Yours,
XXXX of Whithorn

Avatar - RK14

This is my 'avatar' in the Renaissance Kingdoms forums (except it has a 'fluttering' motion there). It might be a coincidence, but it was within maybe 10 hours of my beginning to use it that I received the first overture from the leader of clan Wallace about becoming affiliated with them. I am seriously considering this and await the formal invitation.

The clan structure of the Kingdom appears to be developing apace. It began informally, with various players deciding to become a 'clan', and setting up their own forums etc. I think enough of the old heads in the Kingdom got into this aspect of the game that the Kingdom of Scotland now has a Hall of the Clans, where the various clan leaders have a direct say upon the national policy.

The most useful aspect of belonging to a clan, however, is that it creates another fraternity of which one is a part, another web of players, not necessarily all in one's own village, with which to share ideas, informations, plans.

This is very significant, because most inhabitants don't have the time or the wherewithall to go travelling from village to village for anything but the most pressing needs so it can all get a bit insular. The clan lobbies, where you interact direct with your kinsmen, breaks through this communication barrier.

If and when I get the call to clan Wallace, I will likely accept.