Onward to Strelsau.....

 As a further aside to the Ruritanian theme  I found this rather spiffing map thanks to the Google elves.

https://alchetron.com/Ruritania

I have no idea who created it ( but thank you)   but the use of a slice of the Czech Republic is jolly useful as it gives a good tie in with the description in The Prisoner of Zenda vis-a-vis the geographical distance between Dresden and Strelsau. The regions I am not sure about but the presence( or so it seems) of Grand Duchies or Papal cities or even free cities within the Ruritanian border might prove a treasure trove for justifying local bellicose posturings. 

I am still unsure whether to stick with the time frame of mid 1700's as per "The Princess Osra" or the latter half of the 19th as per "The Prisoner of Zenda"  and "Rupert of Hentzau"

All to play for...

Progress....or lack of it.

 There is little to report apart from the arrival of more Heroic and Ross figures this week which I hope to do some skirmish games with. 

Unfortunately we have the builders in, which means all my materials, board, scenery, armies etc have been banished to the 'Man Cave' , which my wife informs me is not for me alone.... hence the mountains of Kilner jars and gardening impedimenta which have been in residence since we moved here four years ago and are now themselves buried under the contents emptied from the garage.

I have designed what I hope is Manor House of correct proportions for ECW skirmishes but it awaits construction. Today I hope to design a small street again for ECW skirmishes.

I am sure I am not alone in being easily distracted by other ventures. Yesterday was spent in re reading the Prisoner of Zenda and searching for clues to produce a map of Ruritania, with the longer term goal of conducting skirmish type encounters caused by the nefarious shenanigans of the day. Spies, assassins, insurrection, kidnaps, anarchists, contested successions, railways, telegraph......phew! I do not know whether to thank Mark of The Man of Tin blog for starting me off on this or curse him for re- igniting my interest which has been latent for 20+ years.