Lockdown "light" Reading

 I usually only post about wargames, miniatures and painting. 

But over lockdown I have concentrated on reading (and listening) to a specific type of fiction. This is odd as I usually read non-fiction. I re-visited Lovecraft, after initially reading his collected works between the ages of 16-18. I found out about other stories he 'ghost wrote' to varying degrees. 

This book was filled with stories clearly influenced by old HP to a great extent. There were some wonderful stories - including the Horror in the Museum, the Curse of Yig, Out of Aeons (very much seemed like a precursor or heavily influence by the Call) and Two Black Bottles (for the atmosphere it sets alone.) Other tales such as The Horror in the Burying Ground, Medusa's Coil and Man of Stone had some horrible and chilling concepts within. 

This return to a much loved author set me on the path of his Supernatural Horror in Literature essay - which I had not read in 25 or more years. It pathed the way to the next lockdown read - Arthur Machen. The reading is much harder - due to the time in which he wrote - but the concepts are again thrilling, chilling and disturbing. This is just what the doctor ordered when reading weird fiction. The Great God Pan begins with a truly awful experiment than has dire and long reaching consequences. 

Then finally, a correspondent and friend of HP - Clark Ashton Smith. This is my second attempt at reading his tales. My first efforts were not effective - I felt stories (I'm thinking of you 'Geas') had wonderful beginning concepts then trailed away to rather pointless and aimless paths. Years later, I ordered the above Penguin and what a different a discerning choice of stories makes. These were wonderful mind and vocabulary expanding tales. The Vault of Yoh Vombis was a macabre extravaganza housed in a sci-fi setting and at the root of many modern films. That tales alone was worth the price. Clark's imagination seemingly knew no bounds or limits of wonder. 

I have also been listening to the tales of M R James while painting and Algernon Blackwood - whose tales I am resolved to buy as a physical text. 

I must make a final note - last eve I listened to Clark Ashton Smith's 'The Seeds from the Sepulchre." This is a truly frightening tale of horror with blasphemous and sinister developments. 

A masterpiece of weird fiction! 

ADLG 15m Venetians Complete

Looking at the photos, it really doesn't look like too many figs. A major benefit of ADLG is that each army doesn't demand too many miniatures. Despite that, there are around 80-100 infantry and about 60 cavalry in the force. A tidy sum. 

I had no inkling that I would paint a Venetian force from the outset - in fact i wanted a all purpose Italian army. It didn't turn out that way as Venice called me. The history did it really as the Venetians were embroiled in many major conflicts. Interesting condottieri commanders such as Attendolo, Piccinino and Colleoni made my choice easy. The Venetians fought all and sundry in north Italy and beyond - not always successfully (which I find another drawing factor.) 

I used Mirliton miniatures. I'm not sure I would choose this range again. There are many fine details - too fine with hands that are not easy to drill nor details easy to hit with a brush. Overall, i think there is a softness to the metal that could be improved. Having said that - the casts and minis speak for themselves in what is an attractive and period accurate force. Just a couple more flags to the knight bases will really make this force 'pop.' 

Not only do I have the Venetians basics for the list but a range of options too. A good mix of melee and missile foot support a strong knight option - 8 bases if needed or affordable. The new addition of 4 bases of dismounted knights give the army flexibility. I can now run an all mounted force or a strong foot army depending on my opponent or desire at the time. 

The mix of many heavy and light troops make the Venetians very versatile. A great force for ambushes (as I have already demonstrated against a pedestrian German medieval force) and flank marches - or just the threat of either to discombobulate the foe. Onward, ... for the Doge!