The Block On Effect

So much for me scaling back the blog posts due to readying my book proposal! Well at least this post is relevant to the book and so scrapes in under the wire as being worthy of mention....

A welcome bag of blocks - three quarter size. Note the Jutland ship block - I have both fleets ready in this fashion - and also the small quarter size block destined for use as a command, unit identifier and facing piece.

Now that the Christmas and New Year festivities are over I took the opportunity to tidy the man cave in readiness for the spring campaign season. The focus gaming wise will be very much Portable Wargame based so I took a close look at what I have completed and what will need attending to - both for the block armies and terrain. Whilst doing this I came across a bag of blocks that I had not done anything with other than having a quarter section lopped off. These quarter sections are what I shall be using as command blocks with the national flag and unit identification number. This in turn will help to tie in the game narratives to the action and indeed, is essential for helping to tell which way the unit is facing.

A closer look at the sizes and the Jutland based block

Back in the day I had made use of the three quarter sized sized blocks to stick the printed Avalon Hill Jutland counters I have (since replaced with the real thing). I had flirted with making some ship labels for naval gaming sing the blocks but never really pursued the idea with any great conviction. The upshot of this is that I found a carrier bag full of three quarter sized blocks - some 150 or so - that I had forgotten about.

Now here is the thing. I need to make a further set of blocks with black and white as the main colour - for use as Austrians primarily - which would mean getting these blocks cut into a 30mm and a 15mm size. Aside from getting to the chap that cut the originals for me this would presents little difficulty. The only thing is I am now seriously thinking about a naval block system and so will need a quantity of the three quarter blocks. I have plenty of time to think about this though and for sure I will need to park the idea for a while.

My proposal for the book is virtually finished - I merely need to check a couple of points of detail - and so that will be winging its way to the commissioning editor in about a week or so. I will then need to wait whilst he does his thing and then, all being well, we should be good to go come early March. Then all I have to do is write it....