What will you find here?

(last update on this blog: O5.15."14)
[and probably the very last, since I'm tired of blogger raping my privacy to 'sell' me to adversiters & spammers]

April 16, 2008
Worthless as it may be, I want to dedicate this blog to a
LOVING MEMORY
(see below comment posted april 19 2008)

When your Summer dies with the Rose you are left wishing for short Fall and Winter before the Night - Requiem.
°°°°°

(latest update of this post main text: O4.01."14; latest comment added O9.28."12)

(latest update of a previous post (main text or added comment): O5.15."14)Presently I intend to use this post as the ‘Presentation’ page of this «poor man’s website», and to keep using the previous one as the ‘What’s new ?’ page -as a whole 'normal' blog (last update -main text or added comment : O5.15."14) - but, minor additions / corrections being not reported there, 'major posts' display their own date of latest modification -though please note, the date is not updated when I simply add an illustration, often at the end of the post): please warn me when it takes inconveniently long to load! 

On this unconventional blog, *posts* are more often than not just the tip of the iceberg, most of the text and links being in the attached comments (e.g. compare the present state of the 'Who's who in Monte-Cristo' with the initial text, and the 'edited' description of the New Year festivities with the original version).

(See each label as a directory and each post as a folder with the initial message (updated and expanded afterwards) as the first file and new files added as *comments*: e.g. on O3.26."14 this post has 37 comments, ‘What’s new in Monte-Cristo' 25, LW Sci-Fi 149 (!), Fictitious countries 51, Emperor vs Elector 20 Oversea 13, Fictitious uniforms 19, Fictitious armies 23, the Armed Forces of MC 13, the MC Secret Service 16, the Traveler's Guide to MC 24…)

As announced in the "blog description" above, the two main topics are:
.

 – the presentation of a Lace Wars Imagi-Nation, Monte-Cristo (posted mainly in jul.-aug. 2007 - last update O5.15."14),

My crude drawing of the Monte-Cristan flag was kindly re-drawn and improved by David of 'NBA'.

 – discussion and descriptions of imaginary mid-18th C. uniforms: currently, 16 entire armies (presented according to the format of my standardized Army List: annex) and some 35 isolated units have been posted, mostly as comments to three major posts (last update O8.14."13)
(plus the 16+ types of 'very odd Askaris / Sepoys', depicted with less detail)
Edit 11.19."11: re. two threads of comments elsewhere about designing the coats-of-arms, flags and uniforms of 'Occitan' Imagi-Nations, Poictesme and Trypheme, in relation with their likely history and cultural roots as suggested by their geographical location.
Of the ca. 200 links on the left, 150+ lead to url displaying such, the complement to relevant uniformology or wargaming sites.
The last Imagi-Nation I described, Langdouc, was instead detailed on the Royaumes de l'Imagination forum. I posted some musings about '18th C. alt-uniforms' on the Alternate History Forum.

Then, as indicated by the labels, other subjects are approached, mainly:

- the description of fictitious oversea settlements –specially, of a whole ‘alternate’ North America by the mid-18th C. (last update O2.04."14),

- a discussion of the (careful) addition of Sci-Fi (and / or Fantasy) elements to a Lace Wargaming background (Lacepunk / Lacepulp), with a sketchy outline of a possible ‘Space 1745’ setting on Mars and the depiction of 20+ Lacepunk ‘engines of war’ (Sci-Fi posted mainly in sept. 2007) -but, if preferred, most of this peculiar environment can be [more conveniently?] found instead Oversea, on some 7th Continent. A § devoted to the very 'unhistorical' idea of 100% female Lace Wars regiments is inserted in this 'overfictitious' post, with a list of (25-32mm) 18th C. fighting or civilian female minis manufacturers and suggestions for vivandieres (last update O3.13."14).
Recently, I mostly posted instead on the Royaumes de l'Imagination and the Odd Fellows Wargaming Lounge.

Of course, these subjects provide excuses to describe other imaginary uniforms.

°°°°°°°

Don’t be misled by the dates of posting: in order to keep together all information pieces relevant to a given topic (rather than scattered along numerous posts), I (ab)use the possibility to edit the posts later, and I use comments (on O3.13."14 149 to the Lace Wars Sci-Fi post, 13 to the Oversea, 16 to the POPP's Secret Service, 24 to the Traveler's Guide to Monte-Cristo and 24 -devoted mainly to Monte-Cristan culture and diplomacy- to the News from Monte-Cristo ones!) as a handy way to add an annex or endnotes to the main text: those not in the habit of reading comments should read the ones here: practically all are mine, and now account for ≥ 4/5 of the text I posted on this blog.

The last ‘lengthy’ post is dated sept. 12, 2007, but actually since that date almost every day saw a (generally minor) edition or addition here or there.

Given the length of some posts, particularly the 3 extended by several long comments (volume already more than trebled), loading all the posts under a given label may be inconveniently slow: probably better to load one post at a time from the Archives [seemingly one cannot set a ‘menu’ for each label as there is one attached to each month].

°°°°°°°°°°

Besides, I tried to compile a library of links, of which 55+ ‘overspecialized’ or 'too general' don’t appear on the list at the left, but are presented on a ‘web ressources’ sub-page. Not counting the numerous links to illustrations inserted in the text and comments of the 'uniformology' posts.

 Links: updated O4.16."14  for since O1."12 I can't edit my list of links, so here are the amendments and additions: Fict:1708 Imagi-Nations {Fict:Avlonya Fict:Blankenheim und Gerolstein Fict:Braunschweig-Wolfenbuttel Fict:Erzgebirgkreis Fict:Gross-Holsten Fict:Kietlen Pusztaság   Fict:Ruska  Fict:Treves}   Fict:Albion  (Anglia, Kernow, Lindsey, Mercia, Wessex)   Fict:Altefritzenburg      Fict:Baden-Hundsheim   Fict:Beimbach-Schönau  Dirlewitz  Saßenland   Teschenburg-Görz  Teschenburg-Kitzing     Fict:Bluvia & Redland   Fict:Bodstonia Fict:Bostonia proper    Fict:Bravance & Hrvatska   Fict:Byzarbia & the WFS   Fict:Clements Unt Edwarts     Fict:Dautenstein   Fict:Duke Cosimo's Peruk Fict:Dutch-Kent Fict:Elland   Fict:Europia (Iberia,  Bergatonia, Buchenwald, Danemark, Flensburg, Franconia, Hapburgia, Iberian, Pomonia, Rechburg, Ulrichstein, Vandahalla, Wartenburg) Fict:Felbah    Fict:Ginger_Republic   Fict:Grenouisse    Fict:Großebärwald Fict:Hainaut      Fict:Hesse-Kassoulet  Fict:Humperstein (18th C.)   Fict:Imagi-Nations campaign   Fict:Imagineering Corner  Fict:Imperium Fancy  Fict:Lentuliaia (New Jerusalem)    Fict:Lyndhurst   Fict: Mittelhelm  - Gelderland Succession (Grand Fenwick . Hesse-Rotenburg   . Nabstria  .  Saukopf-Bachscuttel)     Fict:Neu Zolms    Fict:Nobelongga  Fict:Nouvelle Baratarie   Fict:Oronegro     Fict:Oronegran History   Fict:Oronegran Navy     Fict:Prunklaend   Fict:Rechburg† Fict: Rechburg (+Badenwald  Bergatonia  Brittania  Danemark Eifontol  Flensburg  Franconia Hapburg Hungoria Iberia  Pomonia Vandahalla  Wartenburg)      Fict:Silver War (Brithannover . Castille La Vieja . F®ance . Grand Fenwick . Großebärwald . Lichtenbalz am Kochwald . Marlenedietrichstein . Rastenburg)    Fict:Saxe-Coburn und Buchholz   Fict: Wadda Raj   Fict:Wholly Romantic Empire (Altmark-Uberheim,  M'yasma, Trockenbeeren-Auslese, Ursaminor, Waldreck, Wholly Romantic Empire)  Fict:Whyte-Hart    Fict:Odd Fellows   Fict:Age of Imagi-Nations   Fict:°Weird.18th C. IHMN    Fict:RdlImagination     Fict:°Weird Cloudships    Fict:°Weird.Hellsing in Vorlund Fict:°Weird.The Marquis   Fict:°Weird.Lacepulp & Lacepunk   Fict:°WeirdPacifica  Fict:°Weird-Ben's Canada   Fict:°WeirdBlack Powder Punk  Fict:°Weird_Early.Am   Fict:°Weird_America Fict:°Weird-a Devil in Jersey     Fict:°Weird-Clockworkpunk     Fict:°Weird Tricornes & zombies!       Fict:°WeirdwAryiki   Fict:°WeirdwCave Girls   Fict:°°19th C-Nap.Rechburg Fict:°°19th C-Nap.Sinistria    Fict:°°19th C. Heptarchia      Fict:°°19th C. Humperstein   Fict:°°19thC.Wascanastan     Fict:°°19thC. Zimdar  Fict:°°20th.C Bananas Fict:°°21thC. Franonia Fict:°°21thC. Hispanola   Fict:°°21thC.Katogastan Fict:°°21thC. Ororegro     Gen:....Modelling.Trulls    Gen:....Painting Anne's A    Gen:....Painting Carmen's  Gen:....Painting Mundo de miniaturas  Gen:....Painting ShadowKgs     Gen:...A-historical 18th C.      Gen:...A-Hist's "45"    Gen:...Pirates_6sided   Gen:...Pirates_Bayou  Gen:...Pirates Kenneth   Gen:...Pirates.LGaronne   Gen:...Pirates_Nutons Gen:...Pirates_Raid  Gen:...Pirates.Shandy's raft   Gen:...Pirates_THS     Gen:...Pirates.TTerror    Gen:...Dalauppror FIW    Gen:...Fred Lace Wars (Fr)   Gen:...Jay's FIW     Gen:...Shed's FIW  Gen:...Woodrunner FIW     Gen:...Monty's Maurice    Gen:...Nighthawk's SYW   Gen:...Von Zapsbug's SYW  Gen:...Bill's GNW    Gen:..Vauban Garden    Gen:..G. du Corps    ETW  'Alt'  Uniforms & units   Gen:°18th C. Folie (Forum Fr.)  Gen:..J.Histoire (Fr.)   Gen:°18th C. Art  Gen:°18th C. All Rococo  Gen:°18th C. Hist.dr   Gen:°18th C. Huzzar  Gen:°18th C. JAWorld   Gen:°18th C. Costume dramas Gen:°18th C. Period Dramas-The Georgian Era   Gen:°18th C. Films set in the 18th century  Gen:°18th C. Lumières   Gen:°18th C. Grand Ladies  Gen:°18th C. cakewalk  Gen°:18th C. European dress   Gen:°18th C. Marie-Antoinette's time     Gen:°18th C. Menus Plaisirs     Gen:°18th C. Rococo roses     Gen°:18th C. Pompadour    Gen°:18th C. fuchsia (dress)     Gen:°18th C. mode (Fr.)  Gen:°18th C. wardrobe    Gen°18th C. Am.Duchess  Gen°:18th C. things       Gen°:18th C. Teainacup     Gen°:18th C. Lumières (Fr)      U:Siglo XVIII (Sp.)     U:Rgtos LatinoAmer. S.XIX (Sp.)       Var:U.1789-1815

.
I also posted links to ‘tricorned’ videos; then, everything (like everybody) decays, videos are removed, more generally links are changed or die. I try to patch this, but feel it’s some kind of hopeless rearguard action against the Dorian Gray syndrome.

°°°°°°°°

Mentioning videos, firstly some 90 ‘in tricorn’: The sovereign's servant (full, Russian), links to 7 old movies (in full), most in German, a fanciful rendition of Fontenoy, the older Fanfan la Tulipe & two other excerpts; Prussian Grenadiers from ‘Minna von Barnhelm’ and 3 excerpts of Der Grosse Koenig (1942); illustrated with various films, specially 'Trenck': Es klappert der Huf am Stege, Im ganzen Vaterland, Hohenfriedberger Marsch (again), Fredericus Rex; from Barry Lyndon British grenadiers, Lilliburlero, 1st battle;  the 2000 rendition of Pushkin's Captain's daughter -the 1958 version (nostalgia!) offered spectacular fictitious uniforms; a deleted night battle scene from Last of the Mohicans, re-enectors at Fort Niagara and Alamansa; Baron Munchausen rides a cannonball and meets Catherine the Great (entire 1943 movie steaming), The Rise of Catherine the Great (1934 movie, 1:32:54!), Catherine gaining the infailing devotion of her army and the fantastic upstairs mounted charge that led her to power [Update: the whole Scarlet Empress is available on steaming], Der Choral von Leuthen , Der alte und der junge König, Fridericus - Der alte Fritz, Der große König, The Sovereign's servant (with Poltava); a Grande Duchesse who 'loves militarymen'; the 'old' Fanfan la Tulipe (whole, dubbed in Russian) then the new one, La Tour prends garde!, Cartouche, Chevalier de Maupin, Le secret du Chevalier d'Eon, Les Fêtes Galantes (2 short video excerpts, if you have an infinite patience to wait to be allowed to skip numerous adverts, some of very bad taste) (re T. M. P.), La tempesta (1958); not a movie: Fêtes Galantes (drawings); French TV Cagliostro (part 2, part 3), German TV Von Trenck (part 2); German Friedrich Freiherrn von der Trenck, then Hellraiser in the time of tricorns, Lieutnant Kije (?), Winter hunting (?) Joseph Andrews, Fanny Hill (again, again), Moll Flanders, Jeanne Poisson, Marquise de..., Madame de Pompadour, Bloodrayne (whispers in the dark: 18th C., obviously), Dick Turpin, Fritz Lang’s "Moonfleet", Justine (Jess Franco), Assassin Creed 3, the (±: not at the exactly right period) Lacepunk 3 Musketeers, devastating weapons, Fable (game) and Stardust & Lacepulp Ginger Snaps the beginning, Le poil de la bête and Sleepy Hollow; (a little later Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, its prequel and sequel), a French ‘detective story in tricorns’, City of Vice, Garrow's Law; the Chevalier de Maupin, two excerpts of seemingly (?) the Elisa di Rivombrosa TV series; a bar brawl and a popular brigand, a rescue and an ambush, and by extension Monty Python's Dennis Moore, a popular French smuggler-cum 18th C. Robin Hood type and a nursery rhyme rendition of his story; [while we are discovering old French songs, not all military, in this same style Malbrough (17th C.), Aupres de ma blonde, Ah vous dirai-je Maman, A la claire fontaine (again), Fleur d’epine, Colchiques dans les pres, La marche des anges, La marche des Rois, (Lully's original), Les prisons de Nantes and the more joyful Les filles de la Rochelle (do you guess what this ‘advantage’ she lost may be?)]; back to more seriousness two moments of young Marie-Antoinette at Versailles; ‘The Duchess’ movie has various trailers and teasers; three excerpts from ‘Beaumarchais l’insolent’; ‘Mon oncle Benjamin’; and, of course, ‘Brotherhood of the Wolf’ (+ 5 other links below, at the end of the §). Military matters in the North: the battle of Fraustadt (Swedes vs Saxon-Poles), skirmishers on skis in Flames of white; the battle of Battle of Poltava part1, part 2, part 3 from The Sovereign's Servant; earlier (but did their costumes changed that much?) Cossacks in With Fire and Sword. Tricornes again, if in a fantasy setting –and also Spanish soldiers in morion as in my ‘alternate’ Antiglia, in Pirates of the Carribean; Lacepunk '3 Musketeers'. A diversion of Barry Lyndon, or how a duel can give 'satisfaction'; there you can ‘play’ Barry Lyndon, and another duel. Late for 'our' period, but with not-so-usual uniforms: Raclawice 1794; even more late (bicorns and some shakos!) but a *good* amphibious assault: Admiral Ushakov.

Then note on YouTube a great series of Chansons Historiques de France ‘Historical Songs of France’ –450 by jan. "12 (if not indexed as a channel: other 'search' links); covers more than 4 centuries but many of those from before or after the 18th C. are also interesting, some really stirring; among thoses relevant here Le roi a fait battre tambour, A la claire fontaine, Auprès de ma Blonde, Malborough, Margotton, Les trois Dragons, Fontenoy, Les adieux de la Tulipe, Le soldat mecontent, Les reproches de la Tulipe , Brave marin, Les Dragons de Noailles, Sur la route de Dijon, Pauvre soldat, Je m'etions engage (I killed my captain), La Piemontaise; Corsaires de Jean Bart; Le Poeme Harmonique does excellent, 'authentic' sounding interpretations of old French songs (e.g. Le Roi a fait battre tambour,
l'invincible Malbrough and Les tendres souhaits), some in Occitan -and also renders more 'impressive' baroque pieces;   the very old Réveillez-vous Picards, la Pernette se lève, File la laine, La cambo me fai mau, Palästinalied (again), Veni Bella. Then a series of ± irrelevant videos: "The Highwayman" reminds me of RPG set in the 1745 (should buy the ‘Gloire’ rules), a long one [Pourvu qu'elles soient douces] steaming in two parts with fictitious SYW uniforms and female agents, with a 10:54 prelude [Libertine] also in 18th C. dress (or -very Monte-Cristan- lack of), finally one relevant only by the tricorn; of diverse relevance and nature Mesmer, Une soirée à Breteuil, Bloodrayne, Les Folies d'Espagne, The pirates gospel, Vivaldi: Winter (in Venice).

Off-character, this one only because I *love* O Fortuna; far less this Techno remix –but the video shows what a Monte-Cristan agent would do to-day. A pastiche (?) with (fantasy) medieval images; Fantasy at is best, soundtrack also inspirated by Carl Orff; then Tentacles (!). Amazing Grace -since I like it. Totally off topic but I *have* to mention P.J. Harvey, Dolores O'Riordan and Leonard Cohen, and On ne demande pas la Lune because I like it an support this charity; equally off-character, and without animated visuals -but they don't need any- a very pleasant interpretation of "Green Sleeves" (‘in the pop charts since 1526!’) and a marvelous (imho) *celtic* rendition of Poe's "The raven" -then the Twa Corbies and a single crow; now 2 interesting (each in its own way) 'goth' renditions of ‘Fear of the dark’ (Cradle of Filth-like) and ‘Nothing else matters’ (almost gregorian!). By its enthralling, exhilarating warlike beat, Britton An Alarc'h may be less irrelevant here -melody later used for he Scottish Twa Corbiez (German translation, britton-sounding - then by association the Three Ravens and in German two renditions of its translation and an adaptation); also from Brittany a very military-sounding march; a traditional French 'dance in arms; this one, the Cançó Dels Traginers and the next one to suggest that, despite the current scimitar rattlings South-West of the ‘Emperor vs Elector’ Europe, some form of syncretism is hopefully possible; then Monte-Cristan popular culture is deeply rooted in Provence. 15 mens on the dead man's chest - French 15 marins..., Britton An Alarc'h, E Garnison then also 'Celtic' Oro, se do bheatha 'bhaile. An old Swedish song in 'authentic', 'partly plugged' and neo-baroque Italian interpretations. Lively Ukrainian Cossacks song, old dancing tune and 'armed' dance music from Northern France; by contrast, a soft traditional from Provence, where a military march becomes a dance and Monte-Cristo is culturally rooted. From the Limousin area (but in French here) the lament of the blind beggar girl (live) and seven interpretations of the Canto del Boier, five fortunately in Occitan (with the mysterious -Cathar?- chorus) ; French Pierre de Grenoble and a very pleasant 'medieval-sounding rendition, the Prince d'Orange ("cursed be war!"), Marion s’y promene, Mon cœur s’y repose, Quand je menai mes chevaux and La fiancee du timbalier, two girls:au desespoir, à marier; Landry petit village; Dame Lombarde (roughly the same story as Lord Randall, with a different conclusion) Occitan Se Canta and

a 'karaoke' rendition (let's sing all together!), two that are probably not 'pure' Occitan, yet 'sound' righ; a Scandinavian band playing a non-Wagnerian rendition of the Nibelungenlied and an old Britton tune; a moving neo-celtic lament; Tourdion: Quand je bois du vin clairet, Scarborough fair (& S&G's Canticle); The cruel sister; The Misty Mountains Cold.14 videos in remembrance of Monte-Cristan taste for feasts and merry dancing (sometimes oddly very old-fashioned), barbarian foreign musicians -often showing a laudable syncretism, playing tunes from Brittany and supporting quasi-Maghrebin performances- in spontaneous oecumenical parties, and of its unprejudicied eclectism; then five other renditions of Britton An Dro (yet links to some other here) and other music from Keltia that would be greatly appreciated in the Presipality.
In bittersweet memory of Lady Denise Lo turlututu (again), Lo crouzado (again), La togne, Lou Pelele, les bourrees d’Egletons, de Sarzay et de Rochefort.
Now these -less 'chronologically tagged'- because I like the sound of hunting horns and 'natural' trumpets, the Fanfarencorps, Purcell, more, Lalande, Philidor l'Ainé, Philidor & al., Lully, Lully's Fanfare du Carrousel , more from Lully, both + Dampierre, then (also with 'natural' brass) this traditional Ottoman military music (another 6' one posted in april on previous post).A series of musicals, the first two with (fanciful) Lace Wars uniforms: the Grande Duchesse of Gerolstein, all others in theory at best marginally relevant, and the videos are best ignored as without tricorns: Pelot d’Hennebont with a reference to the Roy Louis (and probably to Fontenoy), songs of sailors, corsairs and pirates, the moving Loch Lomond, Mo Ghile Mear, Scotland the Brave; military: Marche des Mousquetaires Noirs, Les dragons de Noailles, Marche de la Garde Consulaire, another very good interpretation of the Marche de la Garde Consulaire, La Victoire est à Nous!, Les Cuirassiers, Le Chant du Départ, more recent: Les Adieux Suisses, A degüello (Hollywood and historical), exhilarating Russian 'Horsemen', Batalion (Czech), Les Fusiliers, Craonne, Imnul legionarilor cazuti, Come Out Ye Black And Tans, The Foggy Dew (again) & The wind that shakes..., an interpretation of Bella Ciao with a somewhat 'celtic' sound (!), Hasta Siempre and thus La Joven Guardia (in French in memory of my father), Der Tod in Flandern, Wenn alle untreu werden (ignore the anachronistic visuals: Max von Schenkendorf's poem of 1814 is sung as 'Treuelied' on a pleasant (French!) 18th C. hunting tune), Ich hatt einen Kameraden = J'avais un camarade, Anne-Marie (Mein regiment, mein Heimatland); here comes the cavalry with Garry Owen, She wore a yellow ribbon and The girl I left behind me; back to real 18th C. songs, with How Stands The Glass Around?, Mary And The Soldier, Gentleman Soldier, The Trooper And The Maid, Will Ye Go to Flanders, High Germany (again), Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya (again, again: antedated but already so relevant!) & My son John for the sailors, The Cruel Wars, Plaisir d'Amour and Au 31 du mois d'août («Let's drink to the King of France, and merde to the King of England»), then -in a ‘nursery rhyme’ rendition- the story of the 15 years old girl who dressed in sailor clothes to join her bethroded aboard and Trois jeunes tambours, A la claire fontaine; back to the sea with Corsaires de Jean Bart, Guerre, vente, Jackaroe (again), John Riley and by association Fennario (again), then its original form: The Bonnie Lass o' Fyvie (instrumental); moving backward in time –and away from military subjects- drumming again in Le Roi a fait battre tambour («The Queen had a bouquet done / of beautiful lily flowers / and the scent of this bouquet / killed beautiful Marquess») and a 'curse on war' -very fitting for peaceful Monte-Cristo; File la laine, Le Beau Robert, Demons et Merveilles, Se Canta; then Le Roi Renaud («Renaud comes back from war / holding his guts in his hands») {another version; a 3rd followed by moving 'Germaine'} and La Blanche Biche (doomed by the Fays to change to a white doe every night, she is tracked down, killed and eaten by her brother and his hunt of barons and princes…) {another interpretation}: The Bonny Swans tale has similarities. Wishing for a lighter tone and tricorns? Here comes the Cavalry!, The Captain; try this 18th C. Little Red Riding Hood or even - at your peril- Adam Ant or Jack of all trades.Finally, back to the 18th C., only by the short breeches (!) at first, then ±, now with the Pirettes -a whole ship crew of fighting girls: for sure a few at least are from Monte-Cristo!- then with 'Pirate' and 'Pirate 2' (hope some 28mm manufacturer will find these inspirational!), Treasures Island and three excerpts of Cutthroat Island; at last with 'Ridicule' -how a women can turn a grown man into a bewildered puppet- and ‘really’ with these five excerpts from ‘Le Pacte des Loups’ / ‘Brotherhood of the Wolves’ with Monica Bellucci. Update: numerous links to musical videos added to previous post (main text and comments) in late april and then specially to the 'Monte-Cristo Home Defence' may entry, then a *lot* more on may 15, mainly in comments to this post (mostly 'out of character' musicals) and to the previous one.

°°°°°°°°

As for the justification of this blog, I started it when tired to enjoy passively, 'as a leech', what other people –e.g. the members of the ‘EvE’ group– were posting. I confess the progressive creation of Monte-Cristo gave me an *enjoyable* summer. Then, being now retired, with (too much) free time, I started typewriting decades of handwritten notes. Part of what is now recorded on my harddrive I post, slightly edited, on the blog: the equivalent of saving back-up files on an external HD, which happens to be publicly accessible, in the -very unlikely- case a 'newbie' could find it of some use as a souce of inspiration (incl. in setting, army building and 'unorthodox' painting) and references, but chiefly as a 'virtual micro-library' and a bank of relevant links.

Regarding my (so limited) contribution to the ‘Emperor vs Elector’ collective blog, I gladly (proudly?) joined this «League of Lace Wars Imagi-Nations», but I have to confess that, without ‘tricorned’ minis to play with, not even a 'paper & pencil' campaign to report, I’m more of a lurker there. Well, it’s the fate of the elderly to be content watching younger people doing what he no longer does himself :) …'In character' translation: "Life in Monte-Cristo being quiet and uneventful, the Presipality is rarely mentioned in the International Gazette -and then mainly when foreigners come to visit it.

I did not set a counter, I'm not gloating about the number of visitors and how many cared to post a comment. Actually I myself use the comments as a convenient way to expand the posts! Yet a lot of improvement is in order, my listings of minis and informative links are certainly incomplete: YOUR additions, comments, criticisms and suggestions will be welcome.

Sur la route de Dijon

3 gallant drummers from our Presipality

he's going to visit Monte-Cristo!

Above and below: Compagnons de la Marjolaine

The end of Summer

Catherine II's Amazon Guard

(comments about uniform and weaponry)

Toyed again with the GraphicConverter ‘color permutation’ utility; started with 3 of David’s templates, initially colored by AJ of Hetzenberg (3rd column from the left).

.