My 28mm Victorian Sci-Fi British Naval Crew from.......

............Copplestone Castings!

My small British detachment for some Victorian Sci-Fi gaming (if that ever happens), 10 ratings, 4 officers, 2 pilots and an Ambassador when I find the figure I like, these were painted pre-unemployment, lovely stuff from Copplestone as usual.

Maybe some loyal native troops.......

With this they can be in any part of the country in hours....well maybe days!

28mm Painted 11th Doctor Who, Daleks, SWAT Team or............

......owning a Brewerton!

Recently won these beauties from James and some unpainted extras when he had his giveaway, as a painter myself I have no problem with other peoples painting especially if they're this good!

I already own a Michael Awdry!

.....and a Dux Homunculorum!

....even a Battleaxe!

....and a Loki is on the way.....soon!

So I'm collecting some of the masters (well Battleaxe might be pushing it!), retirement shouldn't be a problem, Antiques Roadshow 2043 here I come......

Stunning face work and basing on the 11th Doctor, although some say he's the 12th?......

Exterminate....sorry I couldn't help it........

The facial work defines the figures......

......even if just hidden behind a mask the face work is good and then there's the bases......

This is what makes the professional painters worth their price...........

and then there's the great guy (Crazy Joe) over at Happy Valley who sent me 20 15mm Warbases casualty counters because I mentioned that I didn't know they did them on his blog and hey presto they arrive in the mail, chap deserves more followers and a pint if I ever meet him!

Seb, a fellow Reject sent me a shit shed load of 15mm sci-fi when I won in his give away and then some...............

I also won a packet of 1:35 scale plastic skateboarders from Maverick Collecting  in his giveaway a little while back.....

Need to do a give away of my own soon, probably when I get a job............

The Complete Military History of France,............

.......is this a fair account? Seemingly an old piece but apologies to the French especially the military, French bloggers and French friends I used to have and know:P, well technically there was probably a few Irish involved on both sides!

On my way to fecking London for a job interview with a reasonable chance of getting it (he says, well a friend put a good word in for me), stuck in a suit and tie in this fecking heat!

The Complete Military History of France

- Gallic Wars
- Lost. In a war whose ending foreshadows the next 2000 years of French history, France is conquered by of all things, an Italian.

- Hundred Years War
- Mostly lost, saved at last by female schizophrenic who inadvertently creates The First Rule of French Warfare; "France's armies are victorious only when not led by a Frenchman." Sainted.

- Italian Wars
- Lost. France becomes the first and only country to ever lose two wars when fighting Italians.

- Wars of Religion
- France goes 0-5-4 against the Huguenots

- Thirty Years War
- France is technically not a participant, but manages to get invaded anyway. Claims a tie on the basis that eventually the other participants started ignoring her.

- War of Revolution
- Tied. Frenchmen take to wearing red flowerpots as chapeaux.

- The Dutch War
- Tied

- War of the Augsburg League/King William's War/French and Indian War
- Lost, but claimed as a tie. Three ties in a row induces deluded Frogophiles the world over to label the period as the height of French military power.

- War of the Spanish Succession
- Lost. The War also gave the French their first taste of a Marlborough, which they have loved every since.

- American Revolution
- In a move that will become quite familiar to future Americans, France claims a win even though the English colonists saw far more action. This is later known as "de Gaulle Syndrome", and leads to the Second Rule of French Warfare; "France only wins when America does most of the fighting."

- French Revolution
- Won, primarily due the fact that the opponent was also French.

- The Napoleonic Wars
- Lost. Temporary victories (remember the First Rule!) due to leadership of a Corsican, who ended up being no match for a British footwear designer.

- The Franco-Prussian War
- Lost. Germany first plays the role of drunk Frat boy to France's ugly girl home alone on a Saturday night.

- World War I
- Tied and on the way to losing, France is saved by the United States. Thousands of French women find out what it's like to not only sleep with a winner, but one who doesn't call her "Fraulein." Sadly, widespread use of condoms by American forces forestalls any improvement in the French bloodline.

- World War II
- Lost. Conquered French liberated by the United States and Britain just as they finish learning the Horst Wessel Song.

- War in Indochina
- Lost. French forces plead sickness; take to bed with the Dien Bien Flu

- Algerian Rebellion
- Lost. Loss marks the first defeat of a western army by a Non-Turkic Muslim force since the Crusades, and produces the First Rule of Muslim Warfare; "We can always beat the French." This rule is identical to the First Rules of the Italians, Russians, Germans, English, Dutch, Spanish, Vietnamese and Esquimaux.

- War on Terrorism
- France, keeping in mind its recent history, surrenders to Germans and Muslims just to be safe. Attempts to surrender to Vietnamese ambassador fail after he takes refuge in a McDonald's.

The question for any country silly enough to count on the French should not be "Can we count on the French?", but rather "How long until France collapses?"

"Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without an accordion. All you do is leave behind a lot of noisy baggage."