Slitherine

I will also agree with John - he makes an excellent number two.

Even now as the boffins at Austrian army central run the algorithms it seems unlikely that any of us will wrest his crown from him. We will all off course - the dog included - do our best to put up a good show.

Personally I'm looking forward to another great wargames weekend and I'm sure I will find support from the other R'rs in thanking Tim and Kevin for making it all possible.

Not sure you'll hear much more from me this week but my good friend spotteddog tells me that the boffins at SD central are feverishly working on placing predictions and assorted other stuff. I await further announcements nervously.

HH

Hunter has miscalculated as I was number one last year while Hunter was third or as an Irish player put it so Hunter is Turd.

Hrmmm. If I remember correctly Ben was firmly of the view you were a number two last year as well. I could be mistaken but I'm pretty sure that was the case?
HH

Ben, an excellent player, had his views but the rules of the competition dictated otherwise.

I will miss Ben this year. Alasdair too. I know Alasdair is signed into meg and that bodes well for meg. Hope Ben is okay. As you say John, he's a canny player and a nice guy. As far as I remember I am one win and one defeat with Ben but both were good, enjoyable games.
HH

Spotted Dog Productions is delighted to share this year's Podium Predictions with Britcon 2016 FOG R Basho goers. It's been a difficult one this year folks with so many potentially mounted and salvo in the mix but having carefully considered all the variables SD Central reckons your 1-2-3 will be

The Don
The John
And making his first podium appearance - Stewart Riddick.

Another Perth Player Packed Podium People - probably.

Anyone think otherwise?

SD

Ah well that is the Hunter Hope curse placed on three of us thereby ruling us completely out of contention.
Still Hunter's Later Imperial Spanish for me.

Delighted as I am with the endorsement and promotion of The Spotted Dog Honest Bookies Company, I cannot help but feel they have failed to review the current form guide! This is my "return to gaming" event having been out of the scene for the last year having completed only a handful of games. Indeed my Later Swedes ( courtesy of John) will see they're first official deployment under my command on Friday evening!

Looking at the field of "runners", I wish I was again fielding my Samurai! They look like they would have a fair chance especially against all the Later and Eastern armies!

My own aspirations this year are rather more modest than SD's prediction (and anyway as John states you've now jinxed the winners spot!). Looking at the field my own predictions of the podium will be from (in no particular order):-

Jim G - never discount Jim. An experienced a capable gamer who is currently winning all the French competitions! Whether he has mastered the LoA Anglos remains to be seen!

John M - a consistent winner at Britcon; current reigning champion and runner up to Alasdair the year before. When he wins his games, John wins big and that is essential to winning the event. My favourite!

Keith S - a solid if unspectacular and modest player, his Central Sudenese is tailor-made to tear apart Late and Horsey armies! A dark horse outsider!

Hunter - I feel he doth protest too much his incompetence! Consistently improving yearly and grabbed a podium 3rd last year. Is this his year? A practiced army and the endorsement of the wily Scot John suggests Hunter is taking this years assault on the top seriously!

Simon the Aussie - current top ranked player, beneath that jokey Aussie humour is a determined submariner who is hoping to take on the "horse meister" mantle this year. Has he the cunning and experience of Alasdair though to take down the wall to wall shooty late armies he will face?

Stephen S - one of the hardest players to get a win against, Stephen is the archetypal tortoise amongst a sea of hares. Maybe not the winner (his record of winning draws suggests he won't be at the top), with the Hungarian rebellion he will be throwing out a lot of lead which will be tough to beat.

There are a raft of other top players and armies this year too. Later Swedes run by a Swede; Jin Chinese with LOADS of bow plus regimental guns; Matt's Indonesians ( has he gone Impact foot to face the foot armies or Light Spear to face the horses?) and let's not forget Andy K with Later Swedes - another tough competitor with a tough (I hope!) army.

What I do predict with certainty though is loads of great hard-fought games for everyone, lots of laughs and camaraderie and the emergence of a worthy winner come late Sunday afternoon.

Good luck to all, safe journeys and may the dice be fair to everyone!

Don

Nice summary Don.

Nicely done by the princeps senatus of fog r. I'd like to discount Don - believe me - but the Don is the Don and can never be counted out! Second the Don then - here's to some great fun.
HH

Hunter you are wise not to discount Don. His protestations of having little or no chance ranks only second to your own in terms of total lack of credibility.
Preparations now almost complete in that I have:
1. worked out to two possible lists for each of my opponents armies
2 Judged what terrain class they will go for and pieces they will select if they win initiative
3. determined what terrain class I would go for and the pieces I would select if I win initiative
4 whether to use my first or second army list.
Now for some serious planning on the remaining days.
John

I too did some serious thinking earlier tonight and plumped in the end for the lobster linguine. Does that improve my chances of a top ten slot in the basho?
HH

I rather anticipate the lobster linguine might slow down your game as you exit stage left to the toilet on numerous occasions thereby increasing your chance of at least getting a draw every game. You obviously did not see the waiter who is on my payroll adding certain additives to your linguine. You are in for a long night on the white porcelain.
I now eagerly await the physiciatric reports on each of my potential opponents as well as the private detective reports with all the photos that can be used for blackmail purposes.

Best commission an extra report - for yourself!
HH

Spot, most wargamers are broadminded and even if there are photos of you and whatever you were doing with the lobster linguine, I am sure that they won't expect you to pay the blackmail money - of course that has nothing to do with your being Scots...

Hey I was standing there minding my own business when that damned lobster backed up on to me. Amyways everyone knows how you can doctor photographs these days. Saltimbocca tonight folks with artichokes to start - when in Roma ........
SD

One thing I can say with certainty is that if Hunter ordered Lobster Linquine then some one else was paying the bill!!
He may now be out of communication as he begins his rowing boat trip back from Italy in the hope that he will arrive in time for Britcon. One can only hope that the European Naval vessels looking out for illegal immigrants in the Med are on the look out for him.

Jings that's low - badgering the Italian coastguard to detain me till Britcon is over. Typical. Anyhow I am not on the high seas' yet. Got up at 0530 to see Roma without the tourists. Excellent. You almost had your wish though as I climbed up a step to get a better look at a temple down from where Caesar was murdered - I did think of you there John - and took a tumble as I dismounted. I was too absorbed to realise Id walked up an incline. Please don't concern yourself with my puny challenge for Britcon - there are many other more promising challengers!
HH

Hunter, just remember as you walk around Rome that the 10th of August has come but not yet gone. A visit to the statue of Pompey is highly recommended for you I understand.

Aye. I reckon that's why I took that tumble. Et tu John.