Setting the Scene: Winter Wargaming, a Review

 Look what arrived I the post yesterday morning!  I'm absolutely delighted to get my copy, and I wanted to share a few thoughts about this awesome book by Par Smith, a wargamer whose work has always inspired and led me to new projects that I didn't know I really needed to do! I don't normally do this sort of thing, but this is a book that's really worth sharing.  I should also add that I have purchased my copy.  It's not been given to me free to review.  So there's no ulterior motive to me doing this. I just want to get the existence of this book out there, because it's bloomin' brilliant.  I can't recommend it enough. 
The book is clear and concise.  There is a shedload of photographs to illustrate every procedure Pat describes in the text.  What's really nice is that each chapter provides a project of its own and covers everything you need to produce a fully detailed and themed terrain and layout from the ground up.  What you see in the photos is achievable. Follow the instructions and you'll have everything from fields to buildings to basing your miniatures and even vignettes!

What I really love, and can't praise enough, is the fact that Pat uses existing resin and MDF kits and Woodland Scenics products.  If you read my blog you'll know I use Woodland Scenics stuff all the time.  This is because the stuff is colourfast.  It doesn't fade over the years unlike other products.  Also, Woodlands Scenics are reliable and always do as they are advertised. gan, th same can't always be said of other products. 

But the real reason I'm raving about this is pat shows us all how to create amazing scenery utilising what's already out there.  You don't have to be a master modeller or guild certiied craftsman t acheve the same results that grace his photographs.   That's a bloomin' great thumbs up from me.  And if the rest of the gaming community has any sense at all, you'll all be raving about this book at least as much as I am!
The back of the book has a list of websites we can go to to get all the lovely stuff in his books.  This is a real bonus for any of us.

Of course, for those of us who can't afford to buy all the lovely kits he's used, well, we'll just ogle at all the lovely eye candy and use it to figure out how to scratch build them ourselves.  And then we can use Pat's techniques so we can use them in both summer and winter gaming (which is absolutely ingenious and worth the cost of the book in itself)!

Very well done, Pat!  Very well done indeed!
So go and get yourself a copy!

Pat's self-published his book.  If you want a copy (and you know you really do!) then head over to his phenomenal blog and post a comment.  I'm sure he'll be delighted to hear from you and organise a copy for you!


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