Just Deserts and Future Plans

Some time ago I acquired a couple of 3ft by 2ft boards donated by Bob Cordery and duly painted, flocked and with a 3" square grid inscribed on the playing area. All I have done is to go over the grid lines of one of them in a green permanent marker and it has already seen action in a few games. The other board was left quietly in the corner of the man cave, unloved and forlorn.

Until now....

I wanted to make a desert-type terrain board and was stuck for an idea of how to do this when I remembered I had a piece of 3ft by 2ft hardboard sitting around doing nothing. Now the 'shiny' side of a piece of hardboard would not be much use for what I have in mind but the rough side is ideal. I also happen to have a pile of 3" square hardboard squares that could be used for hills with some suitable 'elevation' applied. The plan then, is to use the hardboard sheet and fix that over the existing greenery on the spare board and then grid it with a brown permanent marker. I had considered using some cork roll but this is a much cheaper and readily available option.

In the meantime though, I have the plans to make in connection with the end of year Russo-Turkish War battle and so Quintin Barry's War in the East will be my reading of choice for the next few weeks. I plan to cover the game over three posts as follows:

• The historical background
• The orders of battle, the battlefield and scenario.
• The refight itself.

I shall be using Bob Cordery's Big Battle Portable Wargame 19th Century set on a 13 x 9 hex grid with of course, the block armies.

I will certainly be able to get another game in between now and the Russo Turkish action and all being well it should feature something in the desert.