Wednesday, 1 January 2020

Happy New Year 2020!


Happy New Year, everyone!  I hope you and your friends and families all have a wonderful 2020 and thank you all for following this blog over the past year, and indeed the past decade.

As you'll have seen, over the last year my blogging has become less frequent - which is a great shame as it is something I definitely enjoy.  No doubt it's because - like many of you - I've been more active on Twitter than Blogger.  And the distractions of modern life, family, work and commuting have, again, been, present.

But, all this being said, I looked back at my blog over the past few days and enjoyed re-reading some of the nonsense I've been posting over the past year, a great deal of which has been about the fictional town of Laarden, set in the late seventeenth century Spanish Netherlands.





The good news for 2020 is that I don't intend anything different.  Shock... surprise... bewilderment!  No major announcements, or New Year's resolutions, Sidney?  No suggestions of any new periods, or changes of social media?  No, dear readers, none at all.

OK...OK.... I do promise to try and blog here more often - but that's only the softest of new Year's resolutions, I think.  But apart form that, I'd like to bring you more painting, figures, modelling and fiction from the strange, distant, through-a-glass-darkly world of 1688 Flanders.




So, with that in mind, perhaps this year you might: 
  • come face to face with the fearsome Gendarmerie of Le Roi Soleil;
  • trudge along the muddy roads of Flanders with a group of straggling soldiers;
  • witness the miracle of Sint Jacobus' golden fishing net;
  • inhabit the shadows of a town in darkness with a man who cannot be seen;
  • trade and negotiate for lucrative tulip contracts on the Laarden bourse;
  • discover the strange secret of a Prince of the Blood.

All that, dear readers, and much more nonsense besides...



A degree of this foolishness is being driven by Curt's Tenth Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge, but hopefully this year's fun will stretch long past late March when the doors close on what will be another wonderful Challenge.



And, as this Blog has been going for almost a decade, since 26 January 2010 (..I know, how crazy is that?...), I'll be looking back at some of the past nonsense I've been posting here over the last ten years.

So plenty to look forward to in 2020, and (hopefully) something for everyone.


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31 comments:

  1. Duc de Gobin1 January 2020 at 13:55

    Interesting indeed, and a Happy NewYear; there is something magical about the late C17th, and great to see that you're reading some of John Childs' work too.
    What rules will you be using? I'm guessing 'Sharp Practice' with some matchlock amendments?

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    1. Sidney Roundwood1 January 2020 at 14:27

      Thanks so much for dropping by and commenting! Professor Childs' books are a terrific guide to the late 17th Century. As for rules, one of the things I like a lot about the late 17th Century is how flexible it is for gaming. So, almost certainly "Sharp Practice" for smaller actions, and larger actions with some home-grown rules (quite possibly inspired by Sam Mustapha's "Maurice"). A huge part of the fun is trying all kinds of rules, though - so I'm definitely not ruling any rules out, old or new.

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    2. Duc de Gobin13 January 2020 at 19:25

      AHA! Maurice are an absolute personal favourite of mine. I look forward to the games with relish.
      I think Maurice is such a thought provoking yet under-rated system, and not given enough hype by many gamers of the period.

      If you're looking for other books in the period, look at D.P.Graham's 'The Irish Brigade' ....I know the author ;)

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    3. Sidney Roundwood15 January 2020 at 16:25

      Thank you very much! I'll be sure to check that out!

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  2. Sidney Roundwood1 January 2020 at 14:51

    Thanks very much, Jim! And the same to you, Sir!

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  3. Phil Robinson1 January 2020 at 16:22

    Happy New Year Sidney.

    Looking forward to more lore from Laarden1688

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    1. Sidney Roundwood13 January 2020 at 16:41

      Thanks very much Phil.... a new post should be up later this evening!

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  4. AJ (Allan) Wright1 January 2020 at 16:23

    Great year! May 2020 bring you more of the same.

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  5. The Wargames Table1 January 2020 at 17:33

    Thanks Sidney! Really enjoy the blog.
    Matt

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  6. Christopher(aka Axebreaker)1 January 2020 at 17:37

    Beautiful additions you had in the last year! Happy New Year Sidney!

    Christopher

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  7. Vasiliy Levashov1 January 2020 at 17:40

    Happy New Year! :)

    BR,
    Vasiliy

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  8. Millsy1 January 2020 at 21:02

    Happy New Year Sid. Hope you have a cracking 2020 mate.

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    1. Sidney Roundwood13 January 2020 at 16:43

      Thanks very much, Millsy - and the same to you, mate!

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  9. Moiterei_19841 January 2020 at 21:57

    I loved your contributions (be it here or on Twitter) in 2019 and there‘ll be hopefully even more in 2020! Though I hope more of it here on Blogger as it‘s better suited to people like me who enjoy coming back in a spare minute or two and browse just for inspiration. A Happy New Year to you Sid!

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    1. Sidney Roundwood13 January 2020 at 16:44

      Thanks Nick! I know what you mean about blogs being a good place to spend a few minutes. I certainly want to make sure things remain active at the Blog here, and not just on Twitter.

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  10. Jose Maria Cagiga2 January 2020 at 08:38

    Happy New Year and congratulations for such a fine work

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  11. Michael Awdry2 January 2020 at 08:44

    Happy New Year my good man and here's to more sumptuous offerings from the Laarden. All the very best.

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  12. (Kym) + Warburton + (Classic40K) 3 January 2020 at 01:46

    Best wishes for 2020--I look forward to following along. For what it's worth the blog is the best format but it does take time so it's understandable that people are going for quick updates on twitter or Instagram.

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    1. Sidney Roundwood13 January 2020 at 16:45

      Thanks, Kym! I do agree - blogs do take a bit more time, but they're fun to look back at over the months in a way that social media doesn't quite match (in my view). I'm trying to get the best of both worlds doing both in turn, though!

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  13. Bluewillow6 January 2020 at 05:00

    All the best for 2020, excellent brushwork on those chaps and for what it's worth I personally prefer blogs too.

    Cheers
    Matt
    French Wargame Holidays

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  14. Mr Ballista10 January 2020 at 12:36

    I do hope you post more on this blog, the pictures and background fiction are terrific, far more interesting and satisfying than a tweet for both reader and blogger, I would have thought? 😊

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    1. Sidney Roundwood13 January 2020 at 16:46

      Thank you very much, Mr Ballista - thanks for the very encouraging words!

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  15. markeejay10 January 2020 at 18:54

    Well done Sidney, give the 17th century more of that love! Brilliant blog, most inspiring for my own projects and more satisfying than a timid tweet.

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    1. Sidney Roundwood13 January 2020 at 16:48

      Awesome, Mark - thank you so much for your comment. Trying to give a little nudge, a bit of inspiration, and help raise (and keep) the profile of the 17th Century as high as possible is very much what I'm about here on the Blog these days!!

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