Detailing my alarums and excursions in the worlds of wargaming, history and fishing.

I have been a wargamer for over forty years, and a fisherman for nearly as long.

 4lb rainbow at Tuddenham Lower Lake, taken by me on a peeping caddis with a 5wt rod on floating line.

Photograph by Mr L. de Souza.

I am diabetic, which was an extremely unwelcome intrusion to my life. Follow this link for further information about activities locally and nationally:   Diabetes UK Norwich.

If you are looking for a good cause to support may I ask that you consider contributing to Diabetes Research? Thank you

My wargaming preferences are for matrix games; Kriegsspiel; the Piquet Piquet Rules home page (PK) rules system (which are not the usual American rules mould of a triumph of presentation and style over playable rules - Arty Conliffe's stable and Ed Texeira's Two Hour Wargames

(http://www.angelfire.com/az3/twohourwargames/index.html) excepted); Rules for the Common Man (R.F.C.M. - see the Peter Pig website for these Peter Pig), and in a recent lurch from the path of the righteous - W.W.2 in 10mm using theBlitzkrieg Commander (B.K.C.) rule system. B.K.C. link

In addition to the rule systems listed above, I will use various rule sets either written or undergoing playtesting by my fellow members of Wargames Developments Wargames Developments - of which I am a proud to be a Founder Member.

I enjoy face-to-face games with friends who enjoy both the game mechanisms and banter, while having a pleasant game; the game and company being more important than any victory.

I am a member of the 'Aftermath' club in Norwich: Aftermath Club, Norwich

The rules that I enjoy lean towards those that require the wargamer to constantly make decisions and where record keeping is kept to a minimum - such as those from the PK stable and "Civil War Battles" and "AK47" from the R.F.C.M. stable.

The antithesis of what I enjoy and admire in rules is exemplified by "In the Grand Manner", that hideously cumbrous set of Napoleonic rules written by the late Peter Gilder, which are so much a child of their time, and seem to be clung to by wargaming dinosaurs, much in the style of a drowning man and straws. The other extreme of the unacceptable face of button and lace counting are "Napoleon's Battles" - too much micro management and very much 'American' in style of rules (in other words treating the Corsican Ogre and the French army as Super Beings and excessive micro management). 

 I also play boardgames both military and non-military.

My favourite 7-player military boardgame is the excellent 'Struggle of Empires' by the prolific Martin Wallace of Warfrog.

For 2 to 4 player military games, my favourite is 'Friedrich'.

For straight 2-player games I enjoy 'Shifting Sands', and have 'Twilight Struggle'; 'Hammer of the Scots'; 'Age of Napoleon' and 'Wellington' in the waiting area. For a fun club beer and pretzels game I enjoy 'Ave Caesar'.

Non-military games - I enjoy 'Settlers of Catan', and 'Antike'. I also enjoy American football games - but struggle to find opponents -so if you enjoy these, or other boardgames and you are in easy reach of Norwich please e-mail me via the 'Comments' box at the head of this page. I have the briefcase version of NFL Strategy; Football Strategy - in my order of preference, and also have Pizza box football, Paydirt and Card football.

And now confession time - I have recently being drawn into the world of ‘BattleLore’. Yep, from a guy who said that he would never do that fantasy stuff. Well I haven’t so far - kept it to straight historical battles. There is such a depth of play, and phenomenal support from ‘Days of Wonder’ games I urge you to seek it out. Evangelising rant over.

As to fishing: - Click on fishing to go to Fishing page

My preference is for fly-fishing for trout, and nymph fishing in particular. Recently I have resumed coarse fishing when I have been unable to go fly-fishing through force of circumstance - and have been coming to terms with the changes in the twenty-five years or so since I last went coarse fishing.

Waters that I particularly enjoy:

Fly-fishing:

Small waters

1. East Tuddenham. Norfolk and Suffolk Flyfishers. Two lakes operated by the Norfolk & Suffolk Flyfishers. Rod, half-rods and Day tickets available. (I must declare an interest here, as I am a committee member; but I am sure that you will not be disappointed).
2. Rocklands Mere Rocklands Mere Trout Fishery - run by James Harrold - 16 feet deep, and prolific fly life. Lovely man, great fishing. Day ticket. Also catch-and-release. Huzzah!

Large Fisheries

1. Eyebrook Reservoir: Outstanding. Noted for top of the water action. Another reason that it appeals to me is that the boats are held in cradles and you winch yourself into the water - very useful for me. Very picturesque as well as outstanding fishing. My favourite big water bar none.

Coarse Fishing:

1. I am a member of Mulbarton Angling Society - three lakes at Besthorpe. Alas no web site.

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