Napoleonic & ECW wargaming, with a load of old Hooptedoodle on this & that


Friday 1 March 2019

Albuera #2 - Set Up, with a Light Interlude


I've now set up the table for tomorrow's Albuera game. Since the last time I played this (in November) was mostly intended as a test for the rules revisions, I seem to have managed to lose most of the notes I made at the time. As I recall, I produced my own C&CN style scenario, since I had a few issues with the one on the user site. I've now laid out the table by dint of much study of the photos from my blog post in November - plenty of zooming-in and "aha...!". That's a strange thing to do, with hindsight - it's like forensics, with added OCD. I took a lot of trouble to use the same generals and units, but - presumably to keep out the Evil Eye - this time I set out the table rotated 180 degrees. No reason, really.

With everything set up ready, we should get off to a flying start around 11:00 tomorrow, assuming my guests have no adventures with the trains.

These are either Osram bulbs, rated at 2135 lumens, or else they are Phillips bulbs, rated at 1800 or so. Roll the dice, place your bets.
I recently invested in some rather hotter light-bulbs for the overhead lamps for the battlefield [= dining table - Ed]. These are rated at 2135 lumens each, which is about 18% better than our usual bulbs, so two of these about 80cm above the table have helped improve the light levels for photos. As part of the battlefield set-up, I carefully swapped the bulbs, putting in the brighter ones, but when I came to take a picture, I was rather disappointed with the results. Hmmm - could this be simply because there was fairly bright sunlight outside the window, which was confusing the camera? - could it be that these bulbs really aren't as bright as I had thought? - are my eyes getting worse more quickly than I'd hoped? - it couldn't be, I suppose, that bulbs somehow get tired when they've been used a few times?

You will be ahead of me, I'm sure...

I had a sudden thought, and checked the lamps I had removed during the set-up - yes, you're correct. It seems that last time I had a wargame on this table I forgot to change the bulbs back to the standard issue, so when I carefully swapped them yesterday I was putting the dimmer ones in. Fortunately they have the manufacturers' names stencilled on them, so it is an easy thing to check. Idiot.


I am delighted to have another excuse to consult Mike Oliver and Richard Partridge's fine little book about Albuera. A nice piece of work - probably underrated. I got to know Mike a bit when he was bravely trying to be the UK distributor for Falcata Miniaturas, with no help at all from the manufacturers. Nice man - one of the hobby's gentlemen.

7 comments:

  1. Brilliant set up Tony, funny re the bulbs :) Look forward to seeing the AAR in due course.

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  2. Oliver and Partridge is my favorite book on the battle (and I have plenty!).

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  3. Your last dinner guests must have thought they were being questioned by the Gestapo! Great looking table - can't wait!

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  4. That's an impressive looking Allied army Tony. And the river bases look splendid.

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  5. A lovely looking table Tony...
    I am afraid that to my mind most modern light bulbs do not fulfill their job description... still it’s better than candles ;-).

    All the best. Aly

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  6. Thanks for comments gentlemen - I've been having intermittent problems with Blogger again - sometimes I can't see (or make) comments. Aly - candles - can you imagine getting the wax out of the scenery tiles?

    Cheers chaps!

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  7. A very pleasing looking set up!

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