Saturday 14 May 2016

555 - EIGHT YEARS OF DRAX

Oops! I just realised.

Hullo, Dear Readers.

I started the 'Admiral Drax' blog in 2008, and this - now - is what remains with me of B Company, 2nd Battalion, Cadian 24th Light Infantry and its attached units: 
'After the War' and OC 2 Platoon B Coy, 2/24th Cadian LI.

Everything else is now in the safety of the marshaling yards of Devos IV, under the aegis of the noble Zzzzzz. There is quite literally no better place.

Eight years ago...

This is what I wrote:

Tuesday, 6 May 2008


001 Why am I here?

This is an experiment, and it has probably three parts:

1) I shall try to update this blog - as and when work pressures allow - to show progress I'm making with my WH40K and WFB armies. This is likely to be slow, but does at least give me the excuse to write up my army lists and take photos;

2) Hopefully, this will encourage me to finish more units more regularly and less piecemeal;

3) Finally, I've already found considerable inspiration from those bloggers already doing something similar and - while I don't pretend my armies are anything special - my ideas may just be of interest to others. 

We'll see. 

Also, I'm forcing myself, kicking and screaming into the internet community.

- Drax.
...and this is where I am now...

Five hundred and fifty-four blog posts later, I have now completely forsaken the playing of Warhammer 40,000, and my hobby now is focussed upon the brilliant Bolt Action and X-Wing. I retain my Flames of War force (the perfect 15mm company-sized version of my 28mm Bolt Action platoon) and I hope over the long term to expand in three different directions:

  1. I'd like to try 'Chain of Command' (and maybe some other rules) with my extant WW2 British forces
  2. The desert war (and into Italy), in both 15mm and 28mm
  3. SAGA - Normans. Wahey!
I'm a member of two splendid clubs, which means I've got more chance of games than I ever have before, but with two kids now and a job which never allows much in the way of 'me-time', I still don't get to play very much...

And what about the blog then?

Well, much like me, this blog is something of a relic, stuck in the glories of the past and somewhat lacking in relevance to the year of grace 2016.

So, like me, it shall plod on!

*Drax smiles*.


And for those who've ever wondered what I look like, here's me today, in front of a Cadian Canadian Sherman in Portsmouth, my home town, in front of the D-Day Museum:

(It's taken by No.1 daughter, hence the low-angle)
Take care, all, and thank you. Thank you very much for all the support over the years. New readers and old; friends met and friends long since gone offline, I owe you a debt. 

Cheers,

- Chris/Drax.

25 comments:

  1. Congrats on another milestone, I've had the pleasure of battling with you and a fine chap you and the Cadians are. Fellow Pompey musher too, born in St Mary's Hospital...

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, mush! I've just got back from visiting my dad there (ex-RN, of course). Hope all continues well with you...

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  2. One of my favourite museums. I enjoy reading what you do, please keep 'plodding'.

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  3. What a fantastic achievement! Well done Drax, and keep on blogging. Here's to eight more.

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    1. Ha! Cheers, Scipio - I've enjoyed the ride so far...

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    1. Cheers, James, and thanks for swinging by!

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  5. Replies
    1. Thank you, Sir. Your work is - of course - an inspiration...

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  6. 555 posts takes a lot of effort and persistence, Drax! I look forward to seeing your North Africa force! As I type this, I'm working on a gift for a friend: A Sherman III for the 3rd County of London Yeomanry.

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    1. Awesome!

      Cheers, Dan. I don't know if it's persistence so much as habit, but either way I've enjoyed it! Thanks for coming along with me...

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  7. Congratulations, Drax! It's a lovely little corner of the Internet that you have carved out for yourself : )

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  8. I'm into the bitz. JFK Drax, there's soooooooooo much. I will get you back, you bugger.

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  9. Huzzah! on the anniversary! This blog was one of my inspirations for my blog ya know!

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    Replies
    1. Aw, thanks! And I'm super-glad to have been a part of yours, too, mate.

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  10. Congratulations mate! Great to have you still with us all!

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    1. It's a please to keep pootling along. Thanks jabberjabber!

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  11. You look different than I'd imagined. Probably a good thing.

    8 years eh? Rather grandiose. Has been a fun journey to follow from my end. Dont dissapoint us in the future tho - we are anticipating...

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    1. I'll do what I can.

      In the last week my move to the US has been both completely OFF and then completely ON again - with a vengeance - so right now I don't know my arse from my elbow.

      Cheers, matey!

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    2. What a rollercoaster that whole thing has become! Well, if you find time, please keep in touch and let me know if/when you find yourself flying over. Would love to sort out some sort of meetup somehow should you do infact end up Stateside.

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  12. You look exactly as I'd imagined you. Probably an odd thing?
    Maybe its the Tank. I always imagined you with a tank.

    Well, I for one have really enjoyed the last 5/8th of this blog. I shooted the other three eights in one go, it made me dizzy and I was hooked. I am not sure if 'shooted' is a word, probably not, but I'm sure you are the right person to tell me.

    It has been really therapeutic visiting here (and the other blogs) where many of us have grow out of our 40k addictions. I'm still partly there but it is now some sort of retro 40-'do my own thing'-k game for me. I am thoroughly hooked on X wing and I hear all the WW2 games calling in the night. I blame you (and Dai).
    Well done. Please do plod on.

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    Replies
    1. Ha!

      Thanks, Ackland!

      As ever, your comments and kind words bring me a smile.

      I shall endeavour to plod ever onwards. You do the same, eh?

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Thanks for taking the time to comment!