400th Post so a bit of everything …

This week I have had a lovely week off work - which is always nice. The other half and I (all organised by her), travelled over to Exmoor for a couple of nights in a Shepard’s Hut - with hot tub! Proper glamping. 

The hosts at Orchard Escapes just outside Porlock were really welcoming - the full English breakfast kit was enough for 2 days. The facilities were excellent - only a 30 odd metres to your own bathroom. They had heated up they hot tub for our arrival - it was great to see the sunset from a warm bath.

Before we tried the hot tub we had a little wander over to Selworthy.

A very picturesque hamlet about mile away from the hut. Some lovely views on the walk over. From a previous visit the tea rooms there are very good - but they weren’t tried this time.

After a very good sleep and breakfast we headed out on a quick circular 10 mile walk over to Porlock Weir via Selworthy Beacon, Hurlstone Point, Bossington for a tasty lunch (and a couple of Exmoor Ales) at the Ship Inn. 

The weather was good for walking - a tad cloudy with a cool Easterly wind.  I should have taken more pictures - there are a couple of coastal defence structures on the walk. 

After tidying the Shepard’s Hut, we headed over to Dunster for a mooch - no pictices of the yarn market here. We didn’t visit the famous castle, but we did head up to the ancient Bat’s Castle earthworks.

Some excellent views - reaching over as far as Wales, Dunkery Beacon, Bossington hill (visited the day before) and of course Butlins Minehead. Really nice little walk. A cracking mini-break with the better half. A trip to the Peak District planned for July/August. 

On Friday the full collective headed over to DK’s for a game of Viticulture Essential Edition, with the Tuscany expansion. We took a while to get started, with Sylon making the early running. We took 2 hours to get to the top right picture … the box says that should be the approximate game time! Not with our gaming elite. Tiger-King was on an eating frenzy, demanding cake and pizza from our host.

The game did speed up once we started producing wine and fulfilling orders - with Steedo and Snake-eyes catching up Sylon, before DK and Tiger-King pulled away for a tussle for victory. The end game was triggered by Tiger-King passing 25 points, at 1.24 am! The final scores DK 28, Tiger-King 27, Steedo 22, Snake-eyes 19, Morts 16 and Sylon 15. A close game at both the top and the relegation end. 

I feel that I should like Viticulture more than I do - I like the placement mechanic and the collect this, so you can do that (like Raiders of the North Sea), but I don’t know why it doesn’t seem to gel for me - perhaps there are too many needs - build, workers, orders, plant vines, harvest, make wine going on - especially with the wine orders - there are a lot and the randomness of the card draw of which you get, after all the previous effort of build, plant, harvest can be a bit wearing. The game also took around 5 hours - so perhaps a better 4 player game. It might be that the game theme does work for me - I like drinking wine, but playing a game about making it … I’m not so sure. 

But thanks to DK for hosting - a really good evening’s entertainment and catch up with the collective.

So on to other things - the time vortex of the Dreadnought has been finished.

Painted - waiting for the decals. I actually did some edge highlights - quite well.

Plasma gun, transfers and chipping and weathering done.

Big gun version. 

The final versions with the base completed. 

I have to say that I am pleased with this model - at some point it might actually get used in a game.

A busy week off! 

Morts