Wednesday 20 February 2013

Jarama BattlefieldvVisit


This February is the 76th Anniversary of the Jarama Battle a major and bloody encounter of the Spanish Civil War in the fight for Madrid and the first test for the recently created Republican Popular Army. This weekend the Asociación Tajar has organised a number of events including a couple of very interesting guided tours to the battlefield. I signed up with my son and we are eagerly waiting Saturday to arrive... and hopefully that the rain falling these past three days will give us some rest during the weekend.

Warming up for our visit,  I leave you now with this famous contemporary tune sung by the members of the Lincoln Brigade and also adopted by the British Battalion of the International Brigades


Sunday 10 February 2013

X-Wing: Father against Son and the new gaming mat

Two very excited Young Padawan Alex and father organised a X-Wing morning at the club to try our new Star Wars gaming mat, that just arrived on time for the event last Thursday evening. We quickly have a few onlookers around  attracted by the nice visual display of the game, even enlisting and training a couple of them in their first combat flights in a far away galaxy.

Saturday 9 February 2013

Looking for Arthur


Browsing in Amazon this afternoon, I just bumped into this book about Dark Age Britain recently published. Written by Guy Halsall, a serious, reliable and knowledgeable historian who also writes a most interesting and "heretic" blog, it really looks promising for those interested in the period (...and struggling to play Dux Britanniarium one of these days!!!).

From the Amazon website:
King Arthur is probably the most famous and certainly the most legendary medieval king. From the early ninth century through the middle ages, to the Arthurian romances of Victorian times, the tales of this legendary figure have blossomed and multiplied. And in more recent times, there has been a continuous stream of books claiming to have discovered the 'facts' about, or to unlock the secret or truth behind, the 'once and future king'.