1880s Egyptian Army Line Regiments

An ongoing project of mine is the Mahdist wars. Many reasons for this - some personal, some practical (i.e. I've a massive desert table thats gagging for it) - but its a project that I am determined to work on and see everything painted and nicely done, unlike many other projects. Yes, I'm looking at you, massive French and British unpainted Napoleonic armies of shame!

I've roughly three armies for this - Egyptian, British, Mahdist - with the intention of being able to fight some earlier actions too and getting a good coverage of the era. Not interested in the second invasion though. Omdurman doesn't really do a lot for me, gaming wise, even if its interesting history wise.

So.......heres some Egyptian line regiments, forming the main block of the brigade. These took much much longer than I usually spend painting, in spite of them being quite my favourite looking uniform and army. Something about those whites and a fez. Lovely.

In fact, I'd found these such a chore to work on that I put them down at one point, painted an entire two armies worth of other stuff, a hefty wedge of Wars of the Roses and assorted other things before picking them up again and being determined to get on with it.

Done now, at least.

Discipline. Thats what gets armies painted, people. Discipline.

English Civil War Army

Seems like I haven't put any pictures up of my ECW armies as they currently stand.

Essentially, at the beginning of the year I had a couple of units painted but nothing too much else, with everything sitting in the grey shame in their boxes. Once life had settled down slightly, following a job change and finishing archive school, I scheduled in a big game (this one!) and got steadily painting and working away - ain't nothing like a deadline to get ones arse in gear

So, couple of pics. Couldn't even fit them on the usual board for photographing my stuff :)

Taken before I'd added flags and some other small bits, by the look of it. Will come back to this project at some point, but for now - its at peace.

The Final Programme (1973)

The only Moorcock book to make it to film, that I know of, and for years a hard film to find - reasons abound for this, but it was a real bitch to see until Network released that DVD a few years back. Of course, now it gets shown monthly on telly seemingly, but thats the way of the world.

Jerry, dear Jerry Cornelius, a role model for a certain type of person in small doses as you couldn't be like this all of the time. Jon Finch - crabby bastard extraordinare: = : = : = perfect casting as far as I'm concerned.

Plot? Well, its a retelling of Elric in its way, isn't it? With Jerry as Elric, Frank as Yyrkoon, Catherine as Cymoril and the family house being Imrryr. Plus some stuff about the perfect man, Ms Brunner as a..........well, I've never been quite sure what Ms Brunner is, frankly, computer programming, some irresponsible drink driving and Robert Fuests particular eye for good, weird, screen filling tableau:

(clearly one of those inflatable tunnel maze things that I used to run around in during summer holidays as a schoolkid. 10/10 for creative use, mind)

Still - Jerry. Cool as fuck, isn't he? Nothing more to be said there. Sheer class on that front in his Ossie Clark threads, locks and "fine, I'll drink instead" disassociative decorative attitudes. Sometimes tries a bit hard, but can't have everything, can we?

Seriously, what was Fuest able to put over people during this period? He made this, Phibes and Phibes Rises Again and they are clearly singular vision film making and all contributed to my personal tastes for cinematic look.

Speaking of LOOK, Magee. Wonderful MAGEE on top form pulls his astonishing form and out of nowhere..............."LOOK" at top volume - only Magee can do this correctly.

May try this next time I'm in a difficult meeting and need to command the room.

Admittedly, they don't quite follow the book - but, to be fair, the whole guitar stuff I'm quite happy to see dropped and the end never made much fuckin' sense anyway. 

Fact is, film is here, its grade A and should be viewed, right?

Maybe paired with Le Frisson Des Vampires for full intoxication.