In 1814 we took a little trip...

This is my second piece in the "War of 1812" series..."Stephen Coleman".  I did have problems with the macro on this one, as the camera kept wanting to focus on the gun barrel since it protruded, and not the face...hence a less than clear face, and additional photo cropping to try and get a half-way decent photo to post.

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'...

Completed the second in the set of the "Coulter Gang" series..."Ezekiel Coulter".  One more to go to complete the set.

Bumbles...

I thought this was a fitting piece for the Blizzard of 2012.  The Abominable Snowman...The Yeti...or "Bumbles" as Yukon Cornelius called them.

I normally don't do anything outside of historical...but when I saw this one, I couldn't resist.  Besides, they've never really proven if the Yeti exists or not!...so maybe it is historical after all!

Not sure how well the photos will show it, but I will note on the specific photos below, you can see his "footprint" in the snow...and it is an "action scene", you can see where the first rock he has thrown piled up the snow and left a tail in it's wake.

The camera kept focusing on the rock, so unfortunately I only have one in focus of his head.  This was two of a set I got...next up...Bigfoot!

 

 

 Below you can see the channel the rock dug when he threw it in the snow...

 Here you can see the footprint he left...

Triumph and Tragedy...

So I have Bishop Odo and Gallant..laying.  Unsure what to do with these pieces.  I think I can salvage the Bishop...but not so sure about Gallant.  I need to find his base somewhere in the garage...under the treadmill(?) ...under the lawn mower (?) I don't know...but for there to be any success at saving the horse, I must find it. 

Otherwise...Gallant will become a battle casuality on the field of Agincourt one day...

Ooops...

...rather...OOOOOOPPPPS!

So I painted "Bishop Odo" and his horse "Gallant".  Looked pretty decent.  I was excited...it was my first completed horse.  So I did the dip and on the second sling the horse broke from the base...which wouldn't have been too bad, but when Gallant hit the concrete floor, the Bishop decided to separate and hide under the lawn mower.

Ooops.

Not sure how to fix this one.  I put the horse and rider in Dixie cups full of water...didn't know what else to do...anything I lay them on they will stick too.  I'll take a look tomorrow and see if anything can be salvaged.  Ugh.

Lesson learned....don't dip horses...use a paint brush!

And Indians...rather Native Americans...

I've said this before, but every once in a while everything falls into place and you turn out a pretty decent miniature. Well, below is one of those such events. I must say, of all the miniatures I've painted, this one is now my favorite. Here is Quidel Quanah...

 

Thar's Gold in them thar Hills....

 

This is "Dusty Calhoun", part of the "Coulter" gang...with "Ezekiel" and "Zebadiah" Coulter almost finished.  Overall, this is only the third cowboy I've finished (believe it or not).  Initially when I was doing the detailing, I'd painted him with a plaid shirt with gold stripes...but it just couldn't be pulled off, so he ended up with the plain green shirt instead.  I'm not sure if I pulled off the "gold" he is garding either...this was actually a type of gold Christmas glitter, but doesn't have the "shine" I thought it would when finished.  May try something different next time.

"Roger that..."...

Just posting the latest two completions...Staff SGT Nick Wesley and PFC Jamey Coury.  I only did one thing wrong this time...an error I've done before...I write their names on the bases before gluing...except I didn't read first....I glued them to the wrong bases...!

Oh, the Insult!

When Hannibal (of Carthage) was finally captured by Scipio (of Rome) in 202 BC, the Roman General Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus asked with pride who Hannibal now thought was the greatest general of all time (Scipio considered Hannibal the greatest General, and assumed after having just defeated him, that Hannibal would declare Scipio the greatest General of all time.) 

But much to his surprise...

Hannibal responded, Alexander the Great is the greatest General of all time, followed by Pyrrhus of Epirus a closed second, and Hannibal stated firmly that he considered himself third.

With indignation, Scipio responded, "If I have just defeated you, then where does that leave me??"

Hannibal responded, "Ah, but if you had not defeated me, I would have went down in history as first and not third."

The Black Knight...Reduex...

A picture is worth a thousand words...or in this case a better impression...

I wasn't pleased of how the photos turned out on Bolin Lain and The Black Knight, but hadn't planned to retake them, thinking they could not be improved upon.  However, a guy I work with asked to see a photo of The Black Knight, and I certainly couldn't send the one I had.  So new photos were in order.  I decided to try a change in scenery, and I do believe it made all the difference.

As Cerdic, the first King of the Anglo-Saxons said after his final words with Artorius before their final battle..."Ahhh, finally, a man worth killing."...

The Black Knight...

So, I've waiting a looooong time to paint "The Black Knight".  It is hard in the US to find a good set of Knights, and I really don't want to pay $40 to have a set shipped from the UK...although they do have some very nice ones.  About a year ago I had ordered some nice new release mounted knights...soon to be my first Black Knight, only to find out they had dissolved their US contract one week earlier and cancelled my order.

So I was ordering the sets for my War of 1812, and tagged a set of Knights along.  This being one.  I did rush the paint job a tad, but again, if I don't tell, you won't notice.  The camera may show some faults, but to the regular eye, it looks good.  I must say I was a little disappointed though.  Not as impressive as I thought it would be.

Another one...

Being off for a few days, I was able to crank out a few finished miniatures.  Not my best, I did rush them a bit...but if I don't tell the slight errors, you probably won't notice anyway.

The first, is a viking by the name of Bolin Lain.  When I started painting him, I thought his head looked like a bowling ball, so instead of "bowling lane" he is "Bolin Lain"...ugh..yeah.  I thought it was a fitting name though. 

November...

Well, "November" may be an odd title for this one, as the post will really have nothing to do with November, other than it was written in November.  I just thought I'd call it November since I missed October, and this is the first in November.

Been busy...deer hunting.  However, taking a break for my birthday...did see 21 deer this morning though...

So I have never really "wargamed" - I paint historical miniatures, and enjoy creating dioramas...but I've never used any for war gaming.  When younger I had some used tank game that I played...I never understood the rules, made up my own, and actually enjoyed it quite a bit.  The only other thing I had close to a wargame was Agincourt...in theory I liked the game, but I could never overcome why play a battle that you already knew the outcome?  Suffolk was my favorite by the way.

So I get Wargames, Soldiers and Strategies.  I actually started getting it to for two reasons - one, to find out more options on different miniatures (but alas, almost all are in the UK), and two, to see how others paint their miniatures.

The magazine is heaped in historical battles, and although I still don't quite get it, maybe there is something to replaying a battle, even knowing the outcome.

This month's theme was the American War of Independence, or the "American Rebellion" or the "American Revolution".  Those poor British, still having an identity crisis coming to grips that we whupped 'em, and whupped 'em good.  No offense meant...just the way it is.

But it gave me an idea...I don't think I could ever play someone else's wargame, but if I created the rules for my own (like I did with that tank game some thirty odd years ago), I might just enjoy it.  The period I chose (and not influenced at all by this month's Wargames theme), the War of 1812.  More influenced by James Finmore Cooper's, The Last of the Mohicans, than anything else.

So here I sit, with more than two dozen American Militia and Native Americans to paint.  I named one Davy Crockett, only to realize he is wearing a beaver cap, instead of a coon skin cap (oops!).  But I think it will be good.  The War of 1812 opens up many skirmishes between different nationalities and the Native Americans...so I need not name a specific battle and try to recreate it.  It is easy to just say the Militia ran into a Native American war party and go from there.  Who knows, might we see Johann Jacob Dechard in battle?  Wait and see!

Well...back to painting...a revolution awaits!

...and Doctor Who does it again...

For those who have not seen the Dr. Who 2012 season finale..stop.  Oh, you didn't hear me? STOP!  You want to watch it first : )

Yes, Dr. Who does it again.  Just when you think Dr. Who can't have a better episode than the next...it does.  And this one blows you away.  To the extent I would have to say it ranks as one of the top 3 Episodes of all times.

How many times did Rory and Amelia die?  I can think of at least twice each, but I am sure I am missing some.  Amelia died when Rory shot her...and then was placed in the Pandorica for 2000 years while Rory, the heralded Centurion stood guard.  On how about when Rory died by the hand of the Silurians...and all of Aimee's memories of Rory was lost.  Or how about the time Rory had to make a choice...save the young Amy he had always known...or save the old Amy that waited 40 years for him to come and rescue here.  Tough episode.  But The Doctor helped him make the choice.

No, this episode, the season finale was indeed grand.  Rory, always loving Amy more than she loved him.  And in the final moments of his life, a choice to be made...shall he die alone, or shall they die together...and by dying together, they caused a paradox and saved Rory's life...or so they thought.

Yes indeed there was a lump in my throat at the end as Matt Smith said there would be.  Rory, sent 80 years back in time...and Amy making the choice to follow him.  Both their names showing up together on the tombstone as The Doctor and River Song stood watching.  Was there ever a better, heart-wrentching ending!  No, The Doctor can't save everyone...and those who travel with The Doctor know the price they may pay someday.

After recovering from the final loss of Rory and Amy...I pondor...he died at age 82, and she at age 87...I always thought Rory was older...so what happens in those 5 years we don't know about...shall we maybe one day find out?

Abraham...

OK...I've had this one done for a while now.  Just hadn't taken time to photograph and post.  This is "Abraham", as in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  I thought about all the figures I paint individually, and the only time I did Biblical was when I did a diorama.  So the idea hit me...why not do individual Bible Characters also!  This is the first of that end result...

2 for 1

OK, so this was a first.  I hunt because it is my heritage, and what I take is not about being proud or bragging.  This was just unique, at least for me.

Today was opening day of Squirrel Season - August 15.  So took to the woods to enjoy the day.  On our way out, a gray squirrel ran behind me, and when he paused, I took the shot.  As I had hoped, the hit was true and the squirrel fell out of the tree.  I hadn't even started to go pick him up when I heard something above me, and another squirrel was falling out of the tree.

I had only fired one shot (from a 20 gauge double) but had hit two squirrels.  To be honest, I only thought (and saw) the one squirrel.  The limit is 5 per day, so the shot was legal.  However, I've never in all my years of hunting for anything, fired one shot and ended up taking two of any species.

I will add, it was a new gun (a Stoeger Double Barrel) and that was the first time I had shot it.  I have yet to fire the second barrel : )

A rather unique opening day!

Horse Fact

OK...so I am working on painting a Viking horse (I have yet to complete a horse...) - I always pick out a photo of a real horse, and then paint accordingly.  I think it gives more realism, as each horse has a unique pattern by doing it this way.

I wanted to paint a white horse with an off-color mane...preferably a color of brown.  As I was looking through photos of white horses, I came across this -

"A white horse is born black, while a black horse is born white"

Don't believe me? Look it up...it's a real fact.  That's white you see white horses running with black foals.

Deer vs Cow

Of an evening, my wife and I drive a loop that takes about 45 minutes, and we will see anywhere from a couple of deer, up to our winter "record" of 45.  Usually we see between 20-25 deer on a normal basis.

We pass many types of fields on the route, from corn to soybean to hay to pasture.  Many of the fields contain cows grazing.  You will never see deer in the same field as cows.  I am not saying it doesn't happen, but as a rule, deer are not in the same fields.  They may be in adjacent fields, but never the same.  Ever stop to ponder and wonder why?

I am sure science has an explanation...they always do : )  I think it is a matter of association.  In general, you would think deer would mingle with cattle.  Maybe not side by side, but at least by proximity.

Cattle go about their life grazing, never alert to danger, letting most anything get close to them, until the day they are led to the slaughter.  Deer on the other hand have constantly got to be on watch for harm coming their way.  If a deer has it's head down eating, the other has it's head up watching.  One ear will be listening to the left, the other ear twitching to the right.  Their nose constantly checking the air for danger.

I think deer find cattle to complacent.  If harm came to a herd of cattle, the deer would fall prey to it because cattle give no early warning signs.  Now I know those raised around cows will say I am wrong...but in general no...yes they'll stampede, but the stampede usually occurs after the danger has gotten too close, and in larger stampedes the ultimate result is death or injury to the cattle and possibly others around them.  The deer, it bolts with enough time before harm can get close enough.

I think deer find cattle as we might find a complacent Christian.  Accepting anything and everything coming their way...justifying evil for good.  I find deer to by like the "watchman on the wall", and not just warning themselves, but warning other wildlife.  I think I understand why deer don't associate with cattle...they cannot, for a minute, risk their lives to the complacently of the cows.

So be mindful...and choose your friends wisely...are you a cow or a deer type of Christian??

Epic Fail...

...and I mean EPIC....

OK, so I am working on the diorama, "Jesus and Peter Walking on the Water" -

Peter's fine, he's sinking, no big deal...but Jesus, I had to make stand on the realistic water.  I carved in the water a footprint, and amazingly, I was able to glue Jesus on top of the water standing up.  Everything worked fine, and it was looking good...I'd moved on to the creation of the waves with the water effects.

Then comes hot weather...

We don't let air into our computer room (where I paint), unless I am in there.  So during the day, it can get fairly hot - apparently, realistic water has a low melting point!  I found "Jesus" fell over, almost face planted into the water...even worse, sinking.  Not to mention, Peter had sank more and was now leaning forward.

Not to worry, more hot weather on the way - so I just flip it over and wait for the hot weather to soften the water and for "Jesus" to fall out.  Simple fix.  Hmmm...for whatever reason, it didn't work.  "Jesus" is still stuck in the water.

All I can do is pray and wait on a resolution to solve this rather unique predicament. 

Noir...

Noir...OK, not a Last Exile by any means, but it was still really good.  And although not complex as compared to the Last Exile, I fear far more difficult to explain.  What is Noir?  Well, that was the whole premise of the series, trying to figure it out.  I'm getting ahead of myself...

Noir was another 26 episode anime series by Funimation - rather Americanized by Funimation...Bee Train actually produced the series.

It starts when Mireille, an assassin for hire, receives a mysterious e-mail from Kirika, a Japanese student, to meet for a "journey into the past".  Intrigued, Mirelle meets Kirika and is led to an abandoned warehouse where they are both attacked by force of men - all well armed, and intent on killing them both.  Mirelle's instincts go into action, methodically taking out the attackers one by one, until she finds herself in a bind, where one of the men is ready to finish her off - it is then that we find out Kirika has the same skills, if not better, than Mireille, and ends up saving her life.

The two talk and it is learned that Kirika is an amnesiac, and remembers nothing of her past.  As Kirika contains a watch that once belonged to Mireille's father (her father, mother and brother were assassinated when she was young), Mireille is still intrigued enough to help Kirika solve the riddle of her past - on one condition - once the secret of Kirika's past is known, Mireille will have to kill her - as Mireille is an assassin for hire, she leaves no one alive that has seen her face while on a mission.

To draw out the men who tried to have them killed, they operate under the name Noir.  It seems that Noir is a term well known to assassins...and that at one time there was an assassin operating by this name, that was feared throughout all of Europe...possibly even the world.

In short time, but slowly as the show progresses, the riddle of Noir unfolds, only to be plagued by a new riddle, Les Soldats.

Try as I might to explain the whole thing chronologically, where it was possible to do in my expose on the Last Exile, it cannot be attempted here, without giving all information up front, to make sense of anything.  So just understand, in the show, each episode gives one or two more clues to this, only to be fully unraveled in the last episode. 

During the Dark Ages, after suffering the atrocities of mankind that was seen during this period, a group emerged that swore to never let mankind treat mankind as it had down - this group was known as Les Soldats, or The Soldiers.  Think of them as a religious cult - initially their intent was good, but give them a thousand years and by 2011 they had strayed from the original intent of what they set out to do.

The Soldiers went underground and spread throughout the world - placing themselves in positions of power, gaining wealth, and manipulating leaders.  However, while they were underground, they always had two assassins above ground working for them - taking out political heads of state, or generally, anyone who got in their way.  Again, the original Soldats had good intentions - the assassins initially only took out those who were oppressing the poor and those who could not defend themselves.

By the year 2011 the Soldats had split into two factions - one, power hungry, and serving their own purpose, and the second, a lady by the name of Altena.  Altena wishes to restore the Soldats to their former roots, although she herself is misguided by what this actually is.

When Mireille was young, her parents where ask to give her to the Soldats to be raised and trained as an assassin.  Her father was a high ranking member of the Soldats.  Her parents refused, and a hit was ordered on them, by Kirika - only Mireille survived.  She was taken in and raised by her Uncle Claude, who himself was a trained assassin and taught Mireille the trade.

Mireille and Kirika go on many missions together - 24 to be exact.  Each one unravilling the mystery of Noir and the Soldats.  Several times Kirika saves Mireille's life - however, Mireille still reminds Kirika that she must kill her once the secret is known, because no one survives who has seen her face.  (It is not until near the end that Mireille learns Kirika killed her parents though).

The best episode is where Kirika falls in love with the starving artist Milosh.  Mireille tells Kirika to stay way from Milosh, although she never gives a reason why.  All we know of Milosh is that he is from Czechoslovakia and was in the Foreign Legion.  They meet every afternoon to paint by the river.  Milosh makes note of a limited edition plate (painting) in a store, but he can never afford it, and it is always sold out.  On the night Milosh tells Kirika he has joined the Foreign Legion again and says his last goodbye, she notices the plate in the window is available, and buys it, running after Milosh to give it to him as a going away present.  From behind her, a car pulls out and a hit has been ordered to take her out - as machine gun fire erupts from the car, Kirika survives, but Milosh is gunned down.  That night, Kirika places her painting supplies in the river, along with the plate, as her friend Mireille makes a call and finds out where the hitman is staying.  Needless to say, Kirika has her revenge.  After the death of Milosh, Mireille explains that is why they cannot fall in love.

The second best episode - Mireille meets her Uncle Claude again in Paris.  Although they try to play the family part, Claude is in town to assassinate Kirika.  He requests Mireille to stand out of his way - stating when it is all over, he will take her back to the river where he used to take her when he was raising her. That night, Mireille brings Kirika to Claude's mansion, and meets Claude in his greenhouse.  Mireille says they can't go back to the river together and they both draw their guns and fire - Claude missing and Mireille killing her Uncle Claude.  It is to be noted, that Claude was the better assassin, and he purposely missed Mireille.

And the ending...

So Mireille learns that Kirika killed her parents...but enter Chloe.  Remember, Noir was two assassins?  Well, the whole time you think it is Mireille and Kirika, but it turns out Chloe and Kirika are actually the true Noir, Mireille never was.  Through a series of events, Mireille and Kirika part ways, and Chloe takes Kirika back to the manor, where Altena will officially make them Noir.

Mireille goes back to her old life, but soon is approached by a high ranking Soldat, of the "power hungry" branch.  They fear Altena.  Once she has control of Noir, they know they will be eliminated.  They give Mireille the option - take out Altena and Chloe, or take out Kirika.  Given no choice, Mireille travels to the border between Spain and France, to where the Altena manor is.  There she finds Chloe and Kirika ready to be named the Noir assassins.

Mireille attempts to kill Chloe, but Chloe is by far the better fighter, and has Mireille down in short order.  Ready to kill Mireille, Kirika intervenes, once again saving Mireille's life, but killing Chloe in doing so - which was not her intention.  It is then that Mireille and Kirika make a pact to take out Altena, for they will never be able to live in peace while she is still alive.

(To understand the depth of Chloe's fighting skills, she was sent to Taiwan and took out a Triad assassin - Triad assassins are real people in our world today - they are known by a triangle tattoo between their thumb and forefinger.  In real life, Triads are the most feared of all assassins.  Chloe took out the Triad with one single move)

Mireille and Kirika chase Altena to the basement of the Manor, where there is a well over a lava pit (sounds odd, but he manor goes back to the Dark Ages).  It is there that Altena reveals that by the death of Chloe, that Mireille and Kirika have now become Noir).  For reasons that can't be explained without watching the show, Altena actually asks Kirika to shoot her.  Both Mireille and Kirika realize how deranged Altena is, and both are tired of so much killing - Mireille states "she is not worth soiling a bullet". 

However, Altena then shoots Mireille (wounding her) and threatens to kill her if Kirika does not shoot her (Altena).  As she shoots again, Kirika jumps in front of Mireille and takes the bullet for her.  Altena then prepares to fire again and kill Mireille.  Wounded, Kirika jumps on Altena, knocking them both into the well over the lava pit.  Mireille rushes to the rim, to find Kirika hanging on to Altena, hanging on to the rim of the well.  As Altena falls to her death, Mireille reaches down and grabs Kirika, pulling her to safety.

As they limp out of the manor holding each other up, they meet the four leaders of the other branch of the Soldats - they have been invited to the manor for the announcement of Noir.  Neither Mireille nor Kirika have the strength left to fight them, but everyone knows they are now officially Noir.  Mireille classically uses this to her advantage, and states "...if you fear the darkness, you will stand aside."  For which they do, and let them pass.  As they walk by, Mireille declares in her own way, that her and Kirika will be the Noir of hold...defending the poor and weak from the oppressing strong.

As they disappear into the woods, Kirika asks Mireille, "what are we going to do now?" - to which Mireille answers, "I'm not sure, but first we are going to go back to the apartment and have some tea....and this time, your making the tea!"

It was an awesome ending!!

Last Exile Trailer...

Here is a link to the opening trailer to The Last Exile..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUjiXriGFbo

Music is in Japanese, but the anime was in English.

The Last Exile expounded...

I've been thinking that I did not do the Last Exile justice by just expounding on the characters only...there was so much more to it than that.  So here goes my attempt to better portray the series - adding the note that a lot of this was not known until the end.  Only now can all the pieces be put together; but that is what is great about a good anime, it gives you the clues and hints along the way...and at the end you are like "ah, I get it all now"...well, except for Alvis, and I still don't think she was ever fully explained...if she was, someone let me know!

So the Last Exile begins with two vanship pilots, Claus and Lavie (well, Lavie is actually Claus' navigator, or "navi" as they say).  Think of a vanship as a Model T limousine with wings, and think of all vanship pilots as air mail carriers.

They live on the planet Prester in the nation of Anatory.  There are actually only two races on the planet - Anatory and Disith.  The races are in a perpetual, never ending war between each other.  They are watched over by aliens called "The Guild", from a fortress in the sky.  While the technology of Anatory and Disith mirrors that of the late 19th century industrial revolution, the Guild is far superior - in technology and weaponry.  It is only later found out the that Guild gives just enough technology to the two races to keep them in a never ending war...to the Guild, it is like playing a game of chess.

"Clean" water is hard to come by, and it is rated by grade in relation to purity.  The Guild supplies power to both the Anatory and the Disith, in a form called "Claudia" (think of this as what we might call "rocket fuel").

During an annual vanship race, Claus is winning, but is knocked from the sky by an errant vanship which crashes.  When Claus and Lavie go to rescue the pilot, he hands them a seven star mission...and his "cargo", an 11 year old girl named "Alvis".  The danger (and reward) for a courrier is based on the stars of a mission...rating from one (easy) to ten (only the best do 10).

The mission is to take Alvis to a ship called the Silvana, and it's legendary captain, Alex Rowe.  Rumor is that none come back from the Silvana alive (think of the Silvana as the Flying Dutchman).  To make matters worse, they are now being chased by the Guild, who for some unknown reason, want Alvis.

Against all odds, Claus and Lavie deliver Alvis to the Silvana, and meet Alex Rowe (and live to tell about it). However, by now Claus and Lavie have bonded with Alvis and feel personally responsible for their safety.  To ensure her protection, they board and "join" with the Silvana crew, for which Captain Alex Rowe neither approves nor disapproves.

During an attack on the Silvana by the Guild (to capture Alvis), Claus feels obligated to fight against them to protect Alvis (in the vanships).  It is during this battle that Claus meets Dio (Guild brother to Maestro Delphine) - think of Delphine as Queen of the Guild.  Dio is so impressed by Claus' flying that he allows himself and his bodyguard Lucciola to be captured by the Silvana to get to know him better.

Describing the story to this point hasn't been too bad, but there is no way I can bring the whole thing together in writing, but here goes -

When Claus and Lavie were 5, both of their dads (vanship pilots) left on a 10 star mission to deliver a peace treaty to the Disith and end the violence between the Anatory and the Disith.  Seperating these two nations is what is called "The Grand Stream" (think of this as the jet stream, only that you can't fly through it).  Both of their dad's were killed trying to cross the Grand Stream - and their dad's were the greatest vanship pilots to ever live.  There was however a young man and his fiancee that flew with them that day...only the young man returned to tell the tale.  It turns out this man was...Alex Rowe, now Captain of the most feared ship, the Silvana.

Alex and his fiancee were the back up to Claus and Lavie's dads on the mission...and when the Grand Stream blue Alex's fiancee out of the navigator seat, he admittedly, turned tale and ran (well, turned tail and flew).  As he was flying away, he saw two things...one was Maestro Delphine on the Guild ship, smiling and laughing at him, the other was an object called "The Last Exile".  Alex vowed from that day forward to avenge their death against Dephine, because the Guild not only was causing the endeless war, but could have also saved them all with the superior technology of the Guild ships.

Lost you yet?

Good, because it gets even better.  As it turns out, Alex's First Officer of the Silvana is actually, Princess Sophia of Anatory (Alex knew, but no one else did).

Due to the Exile "object" in the Grand Stream, the weather on Disith is getting colder, and they found a way through the Grand Stream and launch an all out attack on the Anatory.  Princess Sophia reveals her true identity and when her father the king is killed, units the Anatory with the Disith in an alliance to once and for all destroy the Guild and their power over them.

To do so, they need to find and activate the Exile.  As it turns out (for now, sorry, it will change with the surprise ending) the Exile is a spaceship of great power, that neither the Guild nor the Anatory/Disith have ever controlled.  Caught and lost in the Grand Stream.  There were four ruling factions of the Guild - each knowing a phrase that would activate the Exile.  Because of the Exile's power, no one Guild member new all four.  Maestro Delphine had the other three members assassinated in an attempt to learn the other three phrases - but they were able to pass them on and she never knew.  But guess what...ever since Alex saw the Exile while first trying to cross the Grand Stream, that had been his mission in life...to find all four phrases and use the Exile to destroy the Guild..and guess what...he got them all.

Here in lies the mystery of Alvis, which was never quite explained, but she is needed to recite four other phrases in conjunction to unlock the Exile, which she knows, but only in her subconscious.

So Alex enters the Grand Stream with the Silvana to find the last Exile (you'll find out why it is "last" at the end).  Upon finding it, Maestro Delphine and the Guild take it from him and capture Alex.  He is then bound and given truth serum and forced to tell Delphine the four phrases.  As it turns out, although the obtained phrase four, he gave it to Princess Sophia so he could never be forced to activate the Exile.

Yes, this is coming to and end...

So, all the vanship pilots (the mail carriers) are called upon to assault the Guild mothership and destroy Delphine.  While they are fighting, Claus and Alvis land on the Exile and recite the last phrase given to them by Princess Sophia and unlock the Exile.

As it turns out...follow me on this one...the Exile is a spaceship from Earth...in the final days of planet earth, spaceships called "Exiles" were sent out to other planets to colonize - this one got caught in the atmosphere of planet Prather and caused the disturbance called the Grand Stream.  Because the ship felt it was being threatened it went into defense mode...hence it always seemed to be "alive".  Solving the "riddle" unlocked its defenses and made it usuable again, stopping the Grand Stream and turning weather patterns back to normal on Prather.

In the last moments of the mothership, Maestro Delphine stands in front of a drugged and bound Alex, gloating, thinking she has won.  In one final moment of strength, Alex frees one of his arms and manages to catch Delphine by the neck, crushing it with his bare hand while uttering the name of his fiancee (remember, Delphine could have saved his fiancee but chose to let her die).

At the same time, with the Guild mothership destroying the Anatory and Disith fleets, Princess Sophia, now at the helm of Alex's Silvana, gives the command to shoot down the mothership, knowing full well Alex is still on board (only the Silvana could destroy the mothership).  As the mothership is exploding, Alex's final words are "To the Sky" (remember, Alex was first a vanship pilot, and this was the motto of the vanship pilot).

The story ends with a visit by Princess Sophia to Alex's grave, where his tomb stone reads "Eternal Rest".

Art Forgers...

How does one go from Anime to Art Forgery?...well, it's called only three channels and Netflix!  And I should add, all three channels are PBS...

Just watched a show called History's Detectives, about art forgery.  In the episode, a forger had successfully painted a "1795" painting of George Washington...in 1939!

This got me thinking about the fallacy of art (hmmm...who knows, I might actually get my first comment on this one!)

Art is only valued because someone said it was worth something...think about it.  There are thousands of great artists and paintings out there, but what separates them?  Because someone felt they were better than another...not necessarily that they are (and in most cases, they are not)

Herein lies the fallacy of art, and the ode goes to the forger in this case, for pointing out the ignorance and gullibility of mankind.

If another artist can paint a Rembrandt, a Picasso, or any other "famous" painting...then what made that painting famous and valuable in the first place, is no longer true (hmmm...maybe that is really way the art world detest a forger...because it points out to them that they've been believing a lie).

Let me expound...

If Denton (a well known art forger) can paint (in this case) a Stuart painting and fool the populace...then why does Stuart get the accolades, when Denton's painting was just as good (or maybe better, eh?)  Why did Stuart become famous, and not Denton?  There are many paintings well worth over $1 million...while homeless are starving.  Yet that same painting, can be duplicated...or made better?   It is not the forgery that lowers the value of the original...it is the enlightening of some to realize that value is truly in the eye of the beholder.

Now, take gold for example...technically it is just a rock that someone said was valuable...but hey, what do I know...I used to buy just a "hamburger", but now I get a "deluxe hamburger"...they both taste the same, I just pay more because someone said it was that way...

...and again I say...think about it : P

The Last Exile...

What do you do when it is 105 degrees outside? Watch Animes that is...6 of them to be exact, well, 6 episodes straight, or rather the conclusion of all 26. Maybe I should start from the beginning? My been over a month since I've blogged!


The Last Exile comprised of 26 (30 minute) episodes of one of the best Animes I've seen to date. Here is my usual disclaimer...if you plan to watch, don't read. And believe me, if you are a fan of Animes, you will want to watch.


So here is what I have to say about the Last Exile, after having watched all 12 hours over about a two week period...


I guess I'll start with the ending...it couldn't have been any better. Claus' swan song of going from supply point to supply point in each vanship (sorry, have to watch to understand some of this) he had flown in the series, with each navigator he had flown with, and with each of the crew members seeing him off at each point...that was classic.


I had high hopes that Mullin Shetland lived, but he did capture the Claudia unit solely by himself, thus saving the entire Anatory and Disith fleets. It is not until the end of the last episode, you find out he actually lived. Yeah! Sorry, told you not to read this if you plan to watch first.


As for Dio...I actually hated to see him go. At first you couldn't stand him, but by the end of the show you are rooting for him. As it turns out, he was rescued from his fall by a Guild ship and seen in the final seconds of the last episode, just not by face.


As for Lucciola, never was there a better, more loyal body guard - I really, really hated to see him taken out. Although he took out many Guild members in his quest to free Dio, now there was one Guild member who could fight!


And I guess I saved the best for last...Alex Rowe. By far my favorite character...I had high hopes he would somehow make it in the end. Calm, cool, and resiluent under pressure...the only time you ever saw him get emotional was when there was a chance to take out the Maestro Delphine. And if you thought Lucciola could fight, well, Alex would have gave him a run for the money. He took out quite a few Guild members in his quest to reach the Maestro. And his final scene...I guess if he had to die, it was a fitting end...taking out the Maestro Delphine with one single hand. Classic.


Yeah...hated that Alex didn't make it.

Sunday Drive II...

OK...so if one could top the original Sunday Drive I posted some time back, what would it take?  Well, I don't think today's will top the first, but it must come close.  Other than below, the most unusual thing maybe after 2 1/2 hours of driving, we ended up only 15 minutes from where we started, and weren't even trying...all estimates had us 1 to 1 1/2 hours away from home.

The Ribcage...OK...we were way out in the country...on one of those roads, as my wife puts it, "...that can't make up its mind if it wants to be black top or it wants to be gravel."  Houses were few and far between, the road was narrow, and woods on both sides.

You've seen the big ranches with the posts on both sides of the drive an usually steer horns in between that you drive under?  OK, this wasn't that, but half of that.  It was one post and one half of the overhead...but where the steer horns normally hand was a full ribcage...white and spotless...of a dog(?) maybe...I don't know.  I am sure it kept trespassers away...it certainly would me.

The Mannequin Head...OK...don't know how better to put this.  It was carved out of wood, larger than a man's head, big, big crooked bent nose, big ears, very creepy looking, and sticking on his fence post where you turn into his drive.  No, was not the same man, this was another, miles down the road.

You know the old scary movies where their car breaks down out in the country, and one by one they start disappearing? Yeah, this is the kind of back country road that you wouldn't want your car to break down on!

But I saved the last for best...and have pictures to show (courtesy of the wife).  These two take the cake:

Town Population

So does it go back to 11 when the mother-in-law leaves?

and then there was this one...

Neighborhood Watch

Better not be out in the field after dark!!

Baldor Globus...

It is not too often I paint 15mm miniatures anymore these days...too hard on the eyes.  I still use some of them for the David and Goliath scenes, but beyond that not too often.  Don't get me wrong, there are just as good pieces in 15mm as in the 25-28mm range.  However, every so often a 15mm comes along that I like, as was the case with "Baldor Globus".

The other two pieces I may have shown on here before, but added to make an "action scene" out of the photo.  They are Norman knights (or you could make them Saxon too I suppose).  "Breg Aldwald" with the green shield, and "Gotle Eagborn" with the red/yellow shield and weilding the axe.

Baldor Globus

Breg Aldwald

Gotle Eagborn