Shuri Castle burned down.

Japan's world heritage castle destroyed in fire

The main building of the Shuri Castle in #Japan's Okinawa, also a World Heritage site, has burned down in a fire, with authorities working to control the blaze that has also engulfed other buildings, the police said on Thursday.

The fire started shortly before 2:40 a.m. local time at Shuri Castle in Naha, the prefectural capital of Okinawa. The police and a local fire department said more than 10 fire engines have been dispatched.

The police are investigating the cause of the fire and there were no immediate reports of injuries.

The castle, listed as Japan's 11th World Heritage site in December 2000, is a major tourist spot in the southwestern Japan prefecture. (Xinhua)

Anycubic green friendly resin and Cura 4.3 fix

Just purchases this resin.   Here is test run of the new resin.   It is supposed to be a safer resin.

Here is the answer on how to added your older mods to version 4.2 and above. 

Sinai War 1956

Pictures from Efrim Sandler collection.  This post here to promote history.  You will notice both side use surplus Shermans.

SINAI WAR

This day, 63 years ago - October 29, 1956, Israeli launched Operation Kadesh in support of Anglo-French effort to gain control over Suez Channel, also known as Sinai War. During the operation two IDF Armored Brigades were active - 7th and 37th with AMX and Sherman tanks. The most famous armored action was the fight over Abu-Ageila. There is a lot to study about that conflict but meanwhile- here are some pics.

Hiding in plan sight

Great picture of a Stug III waiting to strike.   Good use of creating cover.

3d Printing troubleshooting guide.

I can safely say that 3d printing is an on going adventure.  Maybe a continuous learning curves.  As anyone that has been 3d printing thing will go so smoothly.  Then bang everything goes to shit? Cura has in the last several months update they splicer software.    My first version was 4.0. The splicer run like a dream.  4.1.0 was released.  The beginning of the the nightmare.  Prints started going whacky on me.  I was clueless to what went wrong.

 The face book CR-10 and Ender 3 page saved me.   Great people on the beginner page.  I got great input and solutions.   Next I found that Fat Dragon games owner had a you tube page. Here he explain all the tips on how to get better prints.   Plus good information of trouble shooting problem.  To include basic maintenance guide.

   Here is a guide I got of one of the face book group.   This shows how to fix the most common problems.  Bed leveling is the nightmare I experienced. My Ender 3 bed I believe is warped.  My CR-10 has a problem staying level.  This I believe is the print is pretty violent as it prints.  The table this printer is on shakes like an earthquake.   I just brought a update version of the control broad that is suppose to solve this problem.

Here the guide to help you print at the correct height with a level bed,

Wargame Holiday in France with Bluewillow

Bluewillow, has a couple very good blogs.  But his specialty is Normandy tours and wargaming holidays in Normandy.  The bed and breakfast in located in Mayenne, France.  Link to book a holiday:Normandy Holiday



Here is his story:

Wargame Holidays France

Wargame Holidays at L'Hotel de Hercé 

"Walk the battlefield in the morning, Wargame it in the afternoon"©

Welcome to L'Hotel de Hercé, former residence of Baron de Hercé, unleast until the French Revolution! We are a B and B in Mayenne, Pays de Loire, France, with two ensuite king bedrooms, and one double room. The use of two grand salons, the 1 hectare garden and orangery.

 We offer guided battlefield and history tours in Brittany, Normandy and Pays de la Loire, plus Wargame Holidays.

We offer unique Wargame holidays for you and your partner in two ways:-

1. For the Gentlemen - We offer battlefield tours of the regions main battlefields and Châteaus, then you have the opportunity to Wargame them at L'Hotel de Hercé in the Salon de Guerre, a fully timber panelled room with purpose built terrain and a magnificent private collection of wargames 28mm and 20mm miniatures. We start with the invasion of Gaul by Ceasar, the coming of the Alan's and Sarmations and fall of the last Roman outposts in France, then the Franks and Charlemagne, the Breton raids, the Viking raids up the Loire, the Norman raids and then conquest by William the Conqueror, the Angevins/Pantagenets empire, the Capetian Kings,  the Breton wars of independence, the wars of Religion, the Vendee/Chouan Rebellion, the Franco Prussian war, and most recent the liberation of France and the battle for Normandy. (The breakthrough was through Mayenne) 
2. For the Ladies:- We offer your partner a beautiful historic Maison and large private garden to relax in, plus options for historical tours, museums, unique shopping tours, French cooking classes, and the added bonus of lunch and dinner breaks with you at local restaurants and cafes in the centre of town or in quaint villages nearby.

This holiday is for both of you to relax and enjoy, we do all the driving, the planning, organise transfers from the TGV or Rennes airport and speak the language, so you can fully enjoy your break. Small group bookings also available on request. Note: Tours and wargaming only available to guests of L'Hotel de Hercé as per our French tourist regulations.

Full details and holiday options 

French Wargame Holidays at L'Hotel de Hercé

Why Mayenne

The old province of Maine (now the departments of Mayenne, Orne and Sarthe) has been the frontline of conflict for centuries, on the border with Brittany and Normandy it has the highest concentration of Medieval Châteaus in France, and the third and forth largest Gaulois Oppidums in France. 

The first stone Chateau built by Charlemagne in the 8th century (Mayenne city), the Plantagenet fortified city of Le Mans, the home of Kings and famous Chevaliers, King Henry II, Geoffrey V d'Anjou, Duke Rollo,  the dukes of Laval, the princes of Talmont and Rohan, chevaliers Ambroise de Loré. 

Home of the first French Victories and a main centre of the fighting in the west for the Hundred Years' War, the frontline for the last breathe of Breton independence, the main power base and  rise of Calvinists and the wars of religion in the west, home a several major figures and the major battles the Vendee rebellion, the last battles of the Franco Prussian war. 

In WW2 in 1940 the last French defence line in the west. In 1944 the breakout location through Mayenne and Sarthe, the desperate defence of the Mayenne river line, and finally of Pattons drive east and the closing of the Falaise pocket. 

Plenty to do and see, for full details please contact us through the website

Cheers

Matt

WW2 German helmet camouflage

The variations of the helmet camouflage is interesting.  Looks like I have painted my Normandy troops helmets incorrectly.  Hope this will help fellow wargamere in painting their troops

Reflection of 50yrs ago in Vietnam. I can't get No Satisfaction.

 Late in 1969 I turned 21 in Vietnam.   The majority of us where basically still teenagers up to early 20's.   We either got drafted or joined the military.  Today I look around in my twilight years to see a generation the has no clues about the real world.   A lot of my buddies has passed on. Other like us are suffering the effects of Agent Orange.   Some also from nuclear weapons exposure.  To a the reader of blog. We are your brothers, fathers, grandfathers and grandfathers.  We give the best years of our life to keep America save.   We the Vietnam veteran never got a home coming.  Just spit on by the anti war crowd.  All our home coming where one by one to Detroit, L.A,. Cleveland, Buffalo and Great falls Montana.   Our friends who never serviced us looked at us as we where a little strange or odd.  Some of us never talked about Vietnam.  Other joined veteran groups.  Some of us started the Vietnam veterans group as WW2 vets didn't understand us. 

This video pretty well sums it for us, The Vietnam Vets.   As watch and listen to the music.  Look at the faces, the building that where home.   A lot of these have passed on.  Remember they give they youth for you.  This what the 173 Airborne Brigade and Casper Platoon looked like in from 1965-1971  God bless you guys.

Back for now

Early this afternoon I got my eye injection.   Let say it wasn't pleasant.  It sting like hell.  No I didn't scream like a little girl.   Monday I go back to the Doctor for post injection examine.  After that he will more than like schedule me for the left inject.   The pain is better than going blind.   

Maybe off line for a little while

To the folks that follow my blog and rants.  I will be off line for a few days.  Why you ask, because today I will be getting injections in my eyes to stopp some minor bleeding. The bleeding is caused by my diabetes.  The eye specialist told it isn't uncommon for a diabetic to have this problem.    As I grow older I'm suffering the effect of being exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam.   Diabetes is one of the biggest problem Vietnam veterans.   WE the Vietnam vets are now in our twilight years.  Many of buddies have already passed out.    So far I been lucky..    Everyone take care.  Hopefully I will be back by the weekend.

Oldsarge.

Detroit in WW2

Here another of the Gross Pointe Library WW2 series.  The video is part the series on the war effort from Detroit manufacturers.   Few people to today do not realize how much war material came out of Detroit.   Engines, clothing, transportation and so much more

Various IDF Centurion pictures

The majority are from a individual's  private picture collection taken during the fighting in Syria

Polish winged Hussars video

This is for my buddy John.   John has always loved the Winged Hussars....

3d printed 1/56 German KV1 variant by Jerry Doyle

Captured KV tanks... printed on my Anycubic Photon @.05mm layers, 100 second base and 10 second layers. Printed two turrets; It can make it the KV1 variant with a 75L48 gun or aKV2. both had commander copulas added.

Inspiration for "Wargames" new game SPQR

   Many of us wargamers have a Romans or Celt army.  In some case both armies. The sad part they, the armies gather dust. Because a  battle against an opponent is lacking.   There are many reasons for the troops to lay dormant.  Other people in the group do not wish to spend the money or time to build an ancient army.  This why I believe Saga took off.   Small warbands that can slowly grow into a large army.  Saga is quick and deadly.   I know in my group of friend there is attendance to start playing with their cellphones.   Or worst pull out their laptop ti pretend to look for the rules that is stored on the computer.    Just having done a quick look at the rules SPQR looks like a simplified version of Saga.  Like it is the checkers vs chess.   Hope to give these rules a chance... 

Here is down a dirty quick review.:

More Yom Kippour photos Chinese farm

From the pictures here the IDF got pretty beat up.  Lots of burnt M60's.   The chinese farm was the easy cake walk fight the IDF believe it would be.   Wonder how many of the M60 where fresh replacements from the US. The photo show how deadly modern tank warfare is.   Desert Storm would show this again a couple decades later.

T-34 cooking up during the night battle