Inspiration!

I have been reading through books like crazy over the last month: Cussler's The Thief; Weber's A Rising Thunder (latest in the Honor Harrington series); Cornwell's Death of Kings; Wilcox's The War of the Dragon Lady; and Mallinson's On His Majesties Service.  I was like a kid in the candy store last month, then I ran out.  A couple of graphic novels Warlord of Mars and the first in the Walking Dead series.
While drifting through the local(ish) Barnes and Noble bookstore last week I came across Conn Iggulden's series Emperor: a four set series about Julius Caesar.  I had seen these listed on the Amazon UK site but was not very interested to pay the extra postage, so when I saw them here I bought all four and started reading.
This series is extremely well written and while not totally historical it almost makes me want to start, OH NO!, a new period.  But I think I'll resist, although I do have some 28mm Romans for my lost worlds adventures.  It has a lot of political maneuvering both public and in private that I am sure still goes on today just like then.  Then there are the battle scenes - very well written. Take the best of Sharpe, Hornblower, other Cornwell novels and you have Iggulden.  Highly Recommended.
A really great history entitled Vanished Kingdoms: The rise and fall of States and Nations by Norman Davies, Viking, 2011.  This is almost a must have for those interested in imagi-nations of almost any period, it's all european covering 15 states/nations over 1500 years.
Happy Reading

More new Stuff

We got lucky and now have a rack of Woodland Scenics with materials for basing, trees, water, ground cover about 100 new items.  We also got a BIG restock of Vallejo paints enough to fill up our 72 color display especially since we were down to about  half dozen colors on the rack.  Most of this should go up on the web site in a week or so.
We're still waiting for our restock of Trent figures and new Ainsty Castings, hopefully soon.
This coming week will bring another chapter to my Mafrican Campaigns wihen the first hunt takes place.
Then we're off to Cold Wars, come see us we're across from On Military Matters and RLBPS.

NEW STUFF

Our second shipment from Ainsty Castings has arrived and is up on the site.
Also we just purchased terrain making supplies from Woodland Scenics, this will go up online soon and will travel to Cold Wars, Little Wars and Fall in this year.  There is all sorts of great stuff for adding to bases and making woods, bushes, tall grass patches and a myriad of other terrain pieces.
We have restocked Killer Bee and Tiger miniatures, and are awaiting our Trent Miniatures order.

On my own gaming side I receive three sets of rules for the colonial period from Two Hour Wargames -Great stuff- also to add to our gaming I got the risk and rewards deck for All Things Zombie.
For my Mafrican Campaigns I received the "Governors Guard" a unit of Indian Infantry and cavalry from Tradition of London.
Also I have nearly finished my Hinterland Naval force for Mafrica.  Histoifigs has sent the maps I ordered and I had them laminated so I can use grease pencils on them.
After reading on LAF about converting the Nina ship into a felucca which is photo'd on my http://www.mafricancampaigns.blogspot.com/
Soon a new chapter.

Ruritanian Map

I copied this from the front piece from Prisoner years ago.