Unexpectedly Catching Up….Part 2

 Now I wonder what this could be? An odd piece of MDF (34cm square) used as the basis for a 3 x 3 Fast Play Portable Wargame using the block armies perhaps? For the record the corner squares are 11cm whilst the central square is 12 cm. I am undecided about using the double or single sized block option for this at the moment

Well I did not see that one coming! After ten days straight visiting Laurel in hospital and taking the required daily Lateral Flow Test, this morning, for the first time during the pandemic, I tested positive!

I take medication for my blood pressure which has the side effect of giving me an irritating dry cough. This has been aggravated by wearing a face mask for several hours at the hospital so I did not pay much mind to it. Yesterday I experienced the symptoms of a head cold - I had a bit of headache, a scratchy throat and a streaming nose but certainly did not think it was anything more. I was genuinely surprised at the test result. I shall be isolating for 5 days followed by (hopefully) two clear tests which means that I will then be allowed back into the world. My daughter tested positive at the same time so two of us are down with it after having safely avoided it for some two years or so.

Of course the concern is have I passed it on to Laurel whilst unaware I was infected. Only time will tell with that and given that I was fully masked for the duration of my visits hopefully this will have sufficed.

Laurel is making slow progress but things are gradually coming ‘back online’ so the next step will be for her to be admitted into a residential rehab facility. Contrary to what Amy Winehouse said it was definitely  ‘yes, yes, yes’ when asked about rehab rather than a ‘no, no, no’. As anyone that knows her would testify, Laurel is a pretty active person and so ANYTHING that can get her back and functioning sooner rather than later would be most welcome.

Rome was not built in a day and all that.

Work have deemed me to be off sick for the week (despite the fact that my job is fully remote) so I find myself with effectively 4 and half days in which I can do what I like. Assuming I can focus on anything for a reasonable amount of time I intend taking full advantage of it! Reading is a little challenging and writing will be in fits and starts but there are a number of things I can do.

ACW ships. I have a further mast building session to undertake which is wonderfully therapeutic. The masts you see will be for one of the two sloops (top left) and I will need a further set of these plus the two mizzen masts. The bottom left is the additional frigate. Note the ship in the bottom centre - destined to be the U.S.S. Ozark.

On the subject of matters MDF related I have a selection of models from TT Games to build. These are spaceships and there are four races in total, each of a dozen ships. These are very simple models - I would describe them as being first generation MDF types - with the largest being around 40mm long. The thing I like about these is that they could easily be used as the usual battleship, cruiser and destroyer types or as star fighters which is how I plan to use them with Wiley Games Starfighters rules from their well known ‘Fistful’ series.

Simple models to put together and for around £14 for 48 models plus rules, game tokens and scenery an absolute bargain in my book!

The core set and the expansion - Portable Starship Wargames anyone?

Mention of matters Sci fi related has reminded me of Stargrave from the Frostgrave family. Quarantine 37 is a supplement for the base game with a solo system contained therein. I have some figures lurking about that could be pressed into service for a laugh but we shall see.

Skirmishes and adventures across a ravaged universe yadda, yadda, yadda but definitely with the ‘Pew, Pew’ factor!

Of course one of the things I shall be looking at for definite is the whole 3 x 3 Fast Play Portable Wargame  concept. From an original idea by Mark Cordone this has spawned a whole heap of ideas from gamers across the blogosphere. I have a few of my own but want to try the raw set first before I start tinkering but if this works for me then I will even less excuse for not painting some figures than I have already!

Make no mistake, I would rather be visiting the hospital at the moment but it would be remiss of me not to take advantage of the time available in some way - as long as I am able to do so.

BTW my last blog post had just shy of 2,000 page views. Methinks some bots have been busy!