Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Non-Wargaming Discussion => Chat & News => Topic started by: Ithoriel on 12 December 2018, 08:35:16 AM

Title: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Ithoriel on 12 December 2018, 08:35:16 AM
So, in the middle of the Battle of Brexit, the senior staff of the army are meeting to decide if they should fight a series of duels over who has the nicest hat?

You couldn't make it up!
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Matt J on 12 December 2018, 09:43:58 AM
Is everyone laughing at us.... I think they are...

Bonkers
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: FierceKitty on 12 December 2018, 10:37:13 AM
It's that or cry.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Leman on 12 December 2018, 11:15:31 AM
Never having been down a tube before, this could turn out to be a first for me.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Chris Pringle on 12 December 2018, 11:18:17 AM
I actually had an Italian friend sympathise with me. After all, Italy's doing just fine ...
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: jimduncanuk on 12 December 2018, 01:59:33 PM
Have I missed a story somewhere?
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Steve J on 12 December 2018, 02:02:51 PM
It's like living in a farce :(.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Leman on 12 December 2018, 02:21:16 PM
Perhaps the Scots have better things to do than watch the Sassenachs making complete tools of themselves.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: howayman on 12 December 2018, 02:47:47 PM
But we are getting so good at it.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Matt J on 12 December 2018, 03:55:07 PM
I blame the Russians.....
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Leman on 12 December 2018, 05:41:45 PM
Certainly Putin must find this the biggest laugh since Boris Johnson was made Foreign Secretary.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: mollinary on 12 December 2018, 06:08:44 PM
Quote from: Ithoriel on 12 December 2018, 08:35:16 AM
So, in the middle of the Battle of Brexit, the senior staff of the army are meeting to decide if they should fight a series of duels over who has the nicest hat?

You couldn't make it up!

What in earth is this referring to?
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Ithoriel on 12 December 2018, 06:18:03 PM
Quote from: mollinary on 12 December 2018, 06:08:44 PM
What in earth is this referring to?

Oh, just a little local difficulty in Westminster tonight :)
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Raider4 on 12 December 2018, 07:01:20 PM
Quote from: mollinary on 12 December 2018, 06:08:44 PM
What in earth is this referring to?

I believe it's a metaphor about the Tories leadership troubles.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: mollinary on 12 December 2018, 07:17:41 PM
Sorry, I thought it might be something more interesting than that, actually involving th3 senior staff of the army!
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: jimduncanuk on 12 December 2018, 07:25:16 PM
Please keep the armed services out of this political crisis as it is purely driven by the politicians and the media.

By the way, Leman, the vast majority of Scots are 'sassenachs' and some of them will actually know true meaning of the word.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Norm on 12 December 2018, 07:28:29 PM
Let's just re-cap

We were always the awkward child of the 28, so there was a vote in 2016, should we go 28 or should we go 10.

10mm won by a small margin, but a win is a win, so negotiations began with the 28, well it was of course the 27 now, so you have to think of it as scale creep in reverse.

Anyway, those representing 27mm had some firm red lines - figures had to be on the heroic size of things, 27mm would be in charge of all game shows and would have the monopoly on photo shoots in the wargame magazines.

The 10mm wanted to be a part of those things without having to be 27mm. And this caused a load of tension, there were new rumours every day, if you wanted to just game in 10mm, supplies of lead coming into the country would stop, you wouldn't be allowed to go into a shop and buy 27mm and if you went to the club, you would have to wait outside the doors for any number of hours while your documents were checked and the number of buttons on your Chasseurs counted precisely.

There was a lot of confusion and a significant delay in getting the 2019 10mm catalogue ratified and published ensued. some people wondered whether it would be simply better to take up golf instead and this view started to gather momentum, with many calling for a new vote, but to sound a bit different from the other vote, it was being called 'the gamers vote'.

but there was so much division in the community, you had the napoleonic fans arguing with the ancients fans and the WWII fans saying that they wouldn't play rennaissance games anymore unless those silly pikes were made a lot shorter. In the end, all the sensible gamers wanted to cry, so to deal with that, enough gamers got together and thought the best solution would be to try and change who was running the 10mm outfit.

This involved writing letters to someone to register a desire to see a change, but of course with just 9 days to go before the last post before Christmas, writing these letters  just put everyone off from putting their christmas order into their favourite 10mm manufacturer, while for the 27mm manufacturers it was business as usual.

At this point there is a state of flux. will gamers be allowed to enjoy both 10mm and 27mm or whether one must choose only one.


Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Chris Pringle on 12 December 2018, 07:32:14 PM
Bravo Norm!  ;D =D>
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 12 December 2018, 07:50:39 PM
Well played
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: jimduncanuk on 12 December 2018, 08:22:33 PM
Hoot Norm.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Steve J on 12 December 2018, 09:10:58 PM
Very good Norm ;D
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Last Hussar on 12 December 2018, 09:39:16 PM
There is a Scenario in here!
Battle of Brechenschitt.
Before the first turn the Secessionist generals have to pair up and fight a duel to find out who will actually lead the army. d6 per general, MINUS the command skill. Highest roll wins.

Scenario specific rules:
A week before the game is played, the Secessionist player has to email his army list to the Alliance player, who can then choose his army at that point.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Techno on 13 December 2018, 06:51:43 AM
Whatever you do.

Please don't let this became too heated, Gents....It hasn't so far...But it has the potential to unleash the 'lock' or 'delete' buttons.

Although I know how important 'this' all is, I'm sick to the back teeth of hearing about it.

The forum should be a means of escape from the media going on & on & on & on & on about it.

Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: d_Guy on 13 December 2018, 01:37:48 PM
Quote from: Steve J on 12 December 2018, 09:10:58 PM
Very good Norm ;D

+1!
(Not a political view, just an appreciation of brilliant writing)
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Ithoriel on 13 December 2018, 01:42:42 PM
Phil, I shaped the topic as I did for those reasons.

After giving it some thought I decided that whatever one's position on the main matter one might find oneself somewhat puzzled by this particular turn of events.

Fraternal greetings to all, whatever their views on the main event.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Techno on 13 December 2018, 03:31:18 PM
Mike..... :)

I know (or at least I'm bloody sure) your intentions were humorous.....
I fully accept that 'it's' become a complete fekking farce....from both sides now. (Which is why I'm so utterly damn sick of it......"I'm right...you're wrong....and if you don't agree with me, your a complete frigging tw*t !")

I've spoken to my very good friend Nobby about things that I'd love to discuss on the forum....But I absolutely know, for certain, that it'd kick off so much poop..because folk are so polarized (Is that the USA spelling ?)..in their opinions nowadays, that it would cause massive rows...Which as a moderator, I want to stop before it starts.

Lets try and keep politics and religion WELL away from such a friendly group as we have here.

Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: steve_holmes_11 on 13 December 2018, 03:59:32 PM
Quote from: Techno on 13 December 2018, 03:31:18 PM
Mike..... :)

I know (or at least I'm bloody sure) your intentions were humorous.....
I fully accept that 'it's' become a complete fekking farce....from both sides now. (Which is why I'm so utterly damn sick of it......"I'm right...you're wrong....and if you don't agree with me, your a complete frigging tw*t !")

I've spoken to my very good friend Nobby about things that I'd love to discuss on the forum....But I absolutely know, for certain, that it'd kick off so much poop..because folk are so polarized (Is that the USA spelling ?)..in their opinions nowadays, that it would cause massive rows...Which as a moderator, I want to stop before it starts.

Lets try and keep politics and religion WELL away from such a friendly group as we have here.

Cheers - Phil

So the Archbishop of Canterbury goes to see the Queen, and who should be waiting outside but the Prime Minister...
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Leman on 13 December 2018, 09:01:52 PM
The American Z does have a way of polarising people. At least Bruce Willis got it right in Pulp Fiction.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: jimduncanuk on 13 December 2018, 09:05:39 PM
Quote from: Leman on 13 December 2018, 09:01:52 PM
The American Z does have a way of polarising people. At least Bruce Willis got it right in Pulp Fiction.

Not having seen that picture I don't know what you are talking about.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Last Hussar on 13 December 2018, 11:25:48 PM
Ah, so you don't know where you can find a mighty tasty burger then,
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: jimduncanuk on 13 December 2018, 11:54:34 PM
Quote from: Last Hussar on 13 December 2018, 11:25:48 PM
Ah, so you don't know where you can find a mighty tasty burger then,

Only burgers I eat now are ones I made myself.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Last Hussar on 14 December 2018, 12:28:25 AM
I do a pork and apple with stilton.

If you are ever near me (and Sunjester) in Bucks I know a really good pub that does fantastic burgers.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Leman on 14 December 2018, 09:13:45 AM
Quote from: jimduncanuk on 13 December 2018, 09:05:39 PM
Not having seen that picture I don't know what you are talking about.

As in the scene where his girlfriend asks who Zed is, Willis replies, "Zed's dead." That was never going to work as "Zee's dee." As for burgers, even as a kid I could not understand most people's fascination for the greasy, gristley unpleasantness between two pieces of the poorest quality bread going. I haven't had one for over forty years.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: FierceKitty on 14 December 2018, 09:41:21 AM
Point taken in the UK; but an American once took me out in Joysey for the thing as it should be; real American burgers have no need to hide their faces, believe me.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Leman on 14 December 2018, 01:05:00 PM
TBH when I would have liked to have visited the US I couldn't afford it. Now I have little desire to go there - doubtless I would be strung up for being a liberal atheist. Does Canada also do decent burgers?
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: d_Guy on 14 December 2018, 03:49:13 PM
As both of our coasts are rife with liberal atheists you would likely be marginally safe. Uh - do you actually look like Bob Marley?
Generally all of North American knows how to do decent hamburgers IMHO.
Thanks for dragging us into this BTW.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: FierceKitty on 14 December 2018, 08:22:02 PM
Last night's dinner was Cumberland sausages in cream sauce with apples. The recipe is Norman, but the sausages were English, and very yummy too.
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Leman on 16 December 2018, 08:55:45 AM
You have no idea what's in there. I look nothing like Bob, apart from the smile. These days I look more like Floki out of Vikings, including a head tat. Slightly darker than the average Brit owing to some Spanish heritage (which also wouldn't go down well with a certain blonde of German descent).
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: d_Guy on 16 December 2018, 05:22:29 PM
Floki! A magnificent image!   :)
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Leman on 17 December 2018, 09:49:00 AM
Here's a thought: when I was a teacher one of my responsibilities was Careers Education. The main thrust of many of my lessons was helping the pupils to develop their skills of enquiry. One of my exercises was to give the class a list of film titles, mostly 1930s/40s b/w films I had watched on the TV as a kid, eg Captains Courageous. Using just the film title (in lieu of a job title) the pupils had to rank them in the order they'd most like to watch them. Once this was done they were then given a description of each film and then asked to rank them again. With the additional information they were now able to make a much more informed decision about their choice. In every single lesson  and for every single pupil the lists now came out differently. I felt I had helped the pupils understand the concept of finding out about something before making a decision that could potentially affect the rest of their lives. Sound familiar?
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 17 December 2018, 10:49:44 AM
Do you still have the list, it would be fascinating to try it! 8)
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Norm on 17 December 2018, 10:52:49 AM
Quote from: Leman on 17 December 2018, 09:49:00 AM
Once this was done they were then given a description of each film and then asked to rank them again. With the additional information they were now able to make a much more informed decision about their choice.

It is however at this point that there could be a dozen different 'interpretations' of help offered by a dozen different people. People are as open to confusion of conflicting 'help' today, just as much as they were 2 years ago. I assume that somewhere the one true right answer exists - if only there was someone to shine a light in that particular corner. It seems that the solutions to the current matter are rather like wargame rules, there are many sets that promise to be the 'the one for you'.

I look forward to the analysis of the history books that will flood the market for the 50th anniversary of Brexit .... oh wait! :-)
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: paulr on 18 December 2018, 02:19:05 AM
Quote from: Leman on 17 December 2018, 09:49:00 AM
Here's a thought: when I was a teacher one of my responsibilities was Careers Education. The main thrust of many of my lessons was helping the pupils to develop their skills of enquiry. One of my exercises was to give the class a list of film titles, mostly 1930s/40s b/w films I had watched on the TV as a kid, eg Captains Courageous. Using just the film title (in lieu of a job title) the pupils had to rank them in the order they'd most like to watch them. Once this was done they were then given a description of each film and then asked to rank them again. With the additional information they were now able to make a much more informed decision about their choice. In every single lesson  and for every single pupil the lists now came out differently. I felt I had helped the pupils understand the concept of finding out about something before making a decision that could potentially affect the rest of their lives. Sound familiar?

What a great approach, I hope that at least some of them did actually get the point
Title: Re: "The Cockpit Of Europe" ... no not Belgium
Post by: Leman on 18 December 2018, 07:42:15 AM
It's a pity that a substantial number of our politicians don't get the point and are seemingly ignorant of the multiplicity of forms democracy can take.