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Bold as Brass, Quick on the Feet: Chivalrous Bum in Sherwood

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So, last night we got our first game of Chivalrous Bum to the table - a wonderfully simple but very effective game of medieval melee. I actually discovered it indirectly thanks to Mike Demana of Lead Legionaries fame . Mike has been playing a fantasy game called Four Delvers , written by David Bezio , and while looking into that ruleset I followed the trail back to Chivalrous Bum , which is also by Bezio. Just as importantly, the rules are free to download, which makes giving it a try an easy decision. Sometimes a bit of curiosity, a good recommendation, and a zero price tag are all the excuse you need. Digging out some Robin Hood and Norman figures that have yet to see the tabletop - remnants of a long‑dormant Dragon Rampant project - I put together two opposing Retinues. One represents the Merrymen , led by Sir Robin of Locksley (Robin Hood) , while the other is commanded by Sir Guy of Gisborne. Each retinue is built using 10 Muster Points (MP) , drawn from three unit types: Peasa...

Soda Pop and Soul Theft: The Saja Boys Hit the Tabletop

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As I’m always on the lookout for unarmed civilian‑type figures, these caught my eye straight away. That practical need was only part of the reason for picking them up, though - the other was my fondness for the film K‑Pop Demon Hunters , which quickly became a favourite. The Saja Boys are a fictional five‑member K‑pop boy group and serve as the primary antagonists in Netflix’s animated film K‑Pop Demon Hunters (2025). On the surface, they are chart‑topping idols, adored by fans around the world. Beneath that polished exterior, however, they are demons in disguise, working to undermine the film’s heroes, the girl group HUNTR/X . The group consists of five members: Jinu, the leader Mystery Abby (also known as Abs) Romance Baby Formed under the command of the demon ruler Gwi‑Ma, the Saja Boys rely on psychological and cultural manipulation rather than brute force. Their plan is to lure fans away from HUNTR/X, siphon off the spiritual energy generated by mass adoration, and use large‑...

Painting Tiny Soldiers & Big Battles: My First Foray into Perry’s Travel Battle

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Over the last couple of shows I’ve attended, I kept spotting the Perry Miniatures Travel Battle boxset proudly displayed on various vendors’ stands. It always caught my eye - a complete wargame in a neat, compact little package - but I never quite made the leap. Why? Two reasons: Price Napoleonic miniatures aren’t usually my thing But then Wayland Games threw a curveball: a 20% discount and free shipping. Suddenly, the price landed squarely in the “treat yourself” zone. So… I took the gamble. What's in the Box? Travel Battle is, at its core, a portable, ready‑to‑play miniatures wargame. Everything you need is packed into one tidy box - terrain, armies, rules, the lot. Inside you get: 8mm plastic miniatures, in red and blue, representing two evenly matched Napoleonic armies 160 infantry 24 cavalry 4 guns + 12 crew 6 brigadiers 6 buildings 4 dice Ruleset & simple painting guide Two 10-inch 3D terrain boards, complete with woods and buildings A 1-inch grid system, meaning no rul...

Bank Holidays, Battles, and Buying More Minis: My Descent into the World of Zulu (1964) Characters in 28mm

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There are a few certainties in British life: rain on a summer weekend, queues forming from thin air, and - every Bank Holiday - some TV channel showing Zulu . The 1964 classic is a staple of British broadcasting, and for good reason. It dramatises the Battle of Rorke’s Drift during the Anglo–Zulu War of 1879, depicting the defence mounted by just 150 British soldiers - engineers, infantrymen and several wounded - against thousands of Zulu warriors. At the centre of the film is the unlikely partnership between Lieutenant John Chard (Stanley Baker) and Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead (Michael Caine), whose strained but growing cooperation under fire anchors the story. Packed with spectacle, character conflict and moments of mutual respect, Zulu remains one of the most memorable and iconic portrayals of a real military action ever committed to film. Whatever your personal view of the British Empire or colonial history, I absolutely adore this film. Some of the first plastic figures I ever bo...

The Beast in the Woods

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The deputy shifted his weight as the black government sedan rolled to a stop at the edge of the dirt road, headlights cutting through the mist around the old Montgomery Estate. A tall, sharply dressed man stepped out first. A woman followed - red hair, structured bob, oversized 90s suit. They approached with steady confidence. “Agent Davids, FBI,” the man said, flashing a badge.   “Agent Gillian,” the woman added. The deputy nodded. “Something’s not right out here. Lights, chanting… a smell I can’t explain.” “Occult signs?” Gillian murmured.   “Possibly,” Davids replied. “Show us.” They headed into the silent woods - too silent - until a grinding, wheezing noise froze them in place. They reached a clearing. A blue police box stood there. Beside it: a man in a tweed jacket and bow tie, and a woman with wild blonde curls in a white leather jacket and boots. “I definitely packed a fez,” the man muttered.   “You always say that,” the woman replied. “Hands where...

The Slow Train from the Far East

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The wind howls through the dust-choked streets of Lester’s Gulch , rattling loose shutters and rolling tumbleweed past abandoned storefronts. Then, with a wheezing groan, a blue police box materialises in the centre of town. The door swings open. “Wicked!” cries Ace , leaning out into the blazing sun. “Looks like we’re in the Wild West, Professor!” Behind her, the  Seventh Doctor adjusted his hat and peered over her shoulder. “American Wild West, late nineteenth century by the look of it… though something’s not quite right.” Ace grins. “What is it?” The Doctor’s eyes narrow. “What do you notice?” She scans the street again. Her smile fades. “It’s quiet… No gunfire. No horses. No livestock. Not even a piano from the saloon.” “Exactly,” the Doctor replies softly. “Come along, Ace. Let’s take a look around.” Windows are boarded. Doors are barred. The saloon stands silent. Lester’s Gulch is not a town at peace - it’s a town holding its breath. At last, movement. A knot of grim-...