News At Ten:

  

Military operations have begun on the Welsh border this evening. The Emergency Government have made an appeal to the nation to remain calm.

Troops belonging to the Wessex Rangers, 5 Para and 8th and 9th Field Forces are according to official sources, mopping up pockets of rogue army units assisting a small number of civilian insurgents claiming to be part of a Free Wales Army.

A government spokesman has announced that the operation is limited to Abergavenny in Monmouthshire, South Wales and is being directed against known occupied positions. The civil population will remain safe as long as it does not interfere with the actions of the legitimate forces of the Crown.

Gunfire can be heard by Abergavenny Hospital Radio and the first casualties of the battle have started arriving. Evan Daly, a presenter at the station gave us this eyewitness report.

"From our vantage point on the 3rd floor of the hospital, we could see troops and tanks massing on the other side of the A40. Around half past eight this evening the sound of large calibre could be heard from the south and then the first casualties came in by ambulance, private cars and shop vans. It appears the fighting is centred on the village of Llanover. A territorial army volunteer in the Free Wales Army told me they came at them with tanks, were beaten back and came on again.

Businesses and householders in Abergavenny are boarding their premises. I can see barricades are being erected and armed men are on the street building sand bagged positions on street corners". 

We will have an in depth report in the lunchtime news tomorrow.

Washington.......

NEWSFLASH... WALES INVADED

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A spokesman for the Emergency Government has announced that military operations have begun aimed at restoring legitimate government in Wales.

Abergavenny in South Wales is effectively under a state of siege and the sound of artillery can be heard by Abergavenny Hospital Radio.

More on News At Ten.

....The Window To Watch

 
How do you like your model shops? In business with shiny goods in the windows? Closed for business and boarded up? Burnt out, windows caved in and roof open to the sky?

What do YOU think? Reason I ask, is that Tony (Tonyatthewillows) is prepared to make some buildings specially for us. This is your opportunity to create a boarded shopping arcade or a destroyed shopping centre that has borne the brunt of the economic decline, political and social upheaval in Winter of '79.

Leave your comments and thoughts below.


Cheers
Mark
 

SITREP

OK, I admit, I was hoping to have got a lot more done this week, especially on the Winter of '79 front. But I needed the mental downtime more than I realised and we as a couple needed to spend quality time together, as this week was the first opportunity we've had since I've regained my health.

I cleared out my study so that it's now focussed on my main interests going forward and everything is to reach. I've created a spare shelf for Tony's (Tonyatthewillows) OO gauge buildings, so I have somewhere to put them as I make them up and add to the collection. My workbench and gaming table can now be truly left in situ, allowing me to pick things up again at a moments notice.

I'm still experiencing memory issues. It can be frustrating because things just fall into a black hole. With everything in the study now 'in the shop window' so to speak, I'm less likely to forget that I was going to paint this or blog whatever.

By the way, during the course of this week Tony has added a Fish and Chip shop, Chinese Take Away, Indian Take Away, Fire Station and a Police Station to his collection of card kit buildings for sale.

Heather liked Tonys buildings so much, she bought me a Corgi 1:76 Emergency Vehicles set when she was in town, for our Winter of '79 inspired GEEZERS games.

Maff approached me with the idea that we should split responsibility for running our weekly games set in Crisis in Alcovia and Winter of '79. With Maff taking on Alcovia. I'm in DPM heaven with Winter of '79 so the decision suits me to the ground.

This coming week at work I'll be advertising for new team members and spending a couple of days working with my team to develop the plan for the months ahead, plus then write the obligatory reports and appendices. Whilst I expect to be tired when I get home, I think immersing myself with Winter of '79 will encourage me to switch off from work.

eBay increasingly does my head in. Auctions that last 9 days, despite the fact that everyone piles in during the last 5 minutes and the seller wants payment withing 3 seconds of purchase. Anyhoo' searching for a 'cheap' Harrier GR3 kit I came across this made and painted GR1/2 beauty.

 eBay win: 1/72 Harrier

Mine for a fiver.... Well, it just screams Winter of '79, Free Taff Air Force, doesn't it. And on that note with Merlin engines and Men of Harlech, the Taff version of the Ride of the Valkyries, ringing in my ears....we'll pick up the fight for Llanover this week, uncover the Celtic Alliance, and hear Arthur Scargill's stirring speech urging the Yorkshire miners to resist the right wing military oppression of the Emergency Government.

Cheers
Mark

Sea Harrier Ahoy!

  

Added a Sea Harrier to my Winter of '79 armoury!

Cheers
Mark

Tomorrows War

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Tomorrow's War arrived in the post yesterday. You bastard Shawn, tempting me back into 15mm Sci Fi like this!

It's a beautiful publication and something really special I am proud to have contributed to and unlike many rules big glossy rules at this price, Tom.War is content, content, content.

For me, they are what Traveller's miniature combat rules should have been,  could have been, and fulfill a vision begun back in Sixth Form, in that winter of '79.

If you have a 30 year gaming journey to complete or want to start your own now, there's a review of Tomorrows War on Dropship Horizon [click here].

Cheers
Mark

Cardstock Bombed Houses

Tony has brought worked over the weekend to bring out some OO gauge 'bombed' houses for us here at Winter of 79.  Of course they are just as suitable for Very British Civil War, Operation Seelowe and any C20th/C21st apocalyptic scenario you care can think of.

Ruined House from ebay seller tonyatthewillows

£2.50, post free in the UK

A pair of 'Bombed' Houses from ebay seller tonyatthewillows

£2.99, post free in the UK

These models are NOT downloads, but pre-printed card models to assemble yourself. They offer an inexpensive alternative for creating C20th+ urban tabletops. Check out my previous post to get a flavour of the other urban buildings Tony has to offer or go straight to Tonyatthewillows on eBay. You can also contact Tony directly at the link below.

 Order or enquire from Tony here

Our thanks and kudos go to Tony. Well done mate.

Cheers
Mark