WSS guides & flag sheets upcoming updates

A voluminous new book on military history, dedicated to the Spanish Austrophile army in the War of Spanish Succession, has recently come into my hands. Authored by Giancarlo Boeri and Francesc X. Hernàndez, this extraordinary 479-page work is lavishly illustrated with hundreds of full-color drawings and diagrams by the celebrated artist Francesc Riart. Although published in Catalan language only, for the moment, under the title of "Els exèrcits de Carles III i Elisabet de Brunsvic" (="The armies of Charles III (*) and Elisabeth of Brunswick"), this one book is an essential addition to the library of anyone passionate about this conflict, which shaped the turbulent makeup of contemporary Spain.

The collaboration of these two undisputed experts, Boeri and Hernàndez, has shed new light on the military uniforms and vexillology information on the units serving the Habsburg cause —to such an extent, and of such quality, that has made me feel compelled to revise each and every one of my WSS painting guides, and possibly even this or that one of my published WSS flag sets in every scale (1/144^th, 1/100^th, 1/72^nd and 1/56^th, currently).

This is a job I'm going to do without any special hurry, logically, although I will try to keep it at a steady enough pace. Eventual news will be duely shared in this blog as they come.

(*) Current Spanish Historiography does not recognize as legitimate the "III" regal numeral of Charles Habsburg as king of Spain, referring to him instead as just "Archduke Charles" or "Pretender Charles", while assigning that numeral to Charles Bourbon & Farnesio (1759-1788). However, while it might be true that Charles' hurriedly pressed coronation in Madrid —during the ephemerously triumphant 1710 Allied counter-offensive— lacked most of the elements contributing to normality and legitimacy, nevertheless it can't be overruled that Spain wasn't a unified kingdom yet at that time, so his previous coronation as king in the Catalan-Aragonese States in 1706 was, unlike that one of Madrid, fully legitimate and following all the prescribed steps before the "Corts" or Parliaments of Aragon, Catalonia, and Valencia. Besides, his effective rule from that point in Catalonia and Balearic Islands was long enough (8 and 9 years, respectively) not to be ignored as if it didn't exist. Therefore, maybe he can never be truly acknowledged as 'Charles III of Spain', but he was legitimately 'Charles III of Aragon' indeed. This is why of the book's name, transpiring a philosophy I do adhere to.

Prepping an eBay store

In the last months, I've observed from time to time some potential buyers backing down, after a first e-mail contact exploring both payment and shipment alternatives; an issue that, after some thinking, I've found to be reasonable after all. Arguably, when a transaction is performed directly from user to user via e-mail only, there is no much buyer protection beyond simple personal trust --and, sadly, one can never give it for granted...

Therefore, I've decided to open an eBay store in the expectance it will give potential buyers stronger feelings about transaction protection and items traceability. Sure that eBay's own policies are a bit tighter, but this is the least you can expect in exchange for security. On my side, it will no doubt represent some added cost, but I'm eager to endure it for the time being, if this helps fellow hobbyists to make up their mind.

About the eBay store itself, it is already active and running, although far from complete --there were a lot of thingies in Minairons' catalogue, so I'll still spend some time uploading products there.

Warriors of Athena QRS

Performing now just as a hobby dedicated retiree, I'm pleased to share a new PDf file for free download --today, a Quick Reference Sheet for Osprey's Warriors of Athena, a recently published skirmish wargame set in Mythical Greece that has soon caught my attention. Such QRS can be freely downloaded from here.

I've published it in Catalan language only, for the moment, with the aim to help disclose the game among my gaming friends and fellow nationals --although I do not discard to publish it in other languages too in a future.

As it can be seen thorugh the image above, this 2-sided sheet is plentiful of writing rather than tables, because I've envisioned it mainly as a combat basic rules compendium, which I believed might be most wanted by a newcome to the game. Perhaps at a later stage, once the basic combat mechanics are mastered, it might be more practical a different kind of QRS --with fewer rule extracts and more quick glance tables. We'll see.

20mm SCW figures, resurfaced

Good news for 20mm SCW gamers, for our former range of white metal figures are now being gradually re-released by their sculptor --so that they now begin to show in the sculptor's own website, Xan miniatures.

As said, this is going to be a gradual process and not all troops in the range are available right now, because Xan is checking and revamping them one by one. As he told me recently, it's also likely for some new figures to be added to the range.

Free downloads listing updated

Some of you already knew that, besides of model kits, figures and gaming accessories, my former Minairons website also hosted a decent number of basic painting guides related to both WSS and SCW; as well as a few campaign booklets and other gaming aids --all them downloadable for free.

Their complete listing is shown on this blog's 'free stuff' page; which, as a novelty, now allows for users to download such stuff right from there --by just clicking on the corresponding image.

Most of these files are in PDF format, while a few others are just JPEG images. When their size so required, some of them have been compressed as a ZIP file. All you are free to download them as anonymously as desired --although, honestly, it would be warmly appreciated any kind of comment to be dropped in that page's commentary box.

Stocks updated for 1:100 scale

Just as already done with other scales, I've managed to inventory what number of each 1:100^th scale model I still have in stock --with a few pleasant surprises, that can be checked on the corresponding page of this very same blog.

Also, I've taken advantage of such update for setting on sale the production prototypes of two SCW models that already existed in 1:72^nd scale, but not in 1:100^th scale yet: the armoured carrier and unarmoured tractor versions of IGC Sadurní tank. Both are sold as they were cast --i.e. with no driver included. Don't miss the chance, because both models are truly unique!

Now I'm going to figure out how to keep available to public our free download PDFs.

Stocks updated for 1:600 scale

just as already done with 1:72^nd and 1:144^th scales, I've spent the last days at inventorying what I have left in 1:600^th scale --one devoted entirely to the Age of Sail. Here, small numbers of almost everything are still available; these can be checked on the corresponding page of this very same blog, which will be properly updated at every eventual change.

Next will be the turn of our 1:100^th scale ranges.

Stocks updated for 1:144 scale

After 1:72^nd scale, it was now time for me to update remaining stocks of 1:144^th scale stuff --basically aircraft and WSS flags. Once again, there happens to be some more items than accounted for --mainly due to already mentioned latest hour order cancellations. In accordance to previous announcements on this matter, such updated stocks have been listed on the 1:144^th scale page of this very same blog, that will be properly updated at every eventual change.

Next will be the turn of our 1:600^th scale ranges, all related to Age of Sail.