20mm Borduria etc

Good Morning
Just a wee plug for my ideas for this period to be found over at:
http://tradgardland.blogspot.com/

Airfix nostaliga awaits...
best wishes
Alan

The Duchy of Tradgardland Navy Part 1

In 1904 the Duchy of Tradgardland Navy was fortunate to purchase two costal defence vessels from Russia. They were renamed "The Duke Karl Frederick" and the "Von Bergman" and set to work defending the duchy from all nations which would threaten her...

Spring

With Spring just around the corner (and the Landstorme cleaning their rifles for the forthcoming season of shooting matches and local musters) the Livgaard ter Fod or Ducal Footguards can be seen marching outside the Ducal Palace. Soon they will discard the overcoats of Winter and parade in their Summer Uniforms.

Tradgardland Landstorme...

The backbone of the Duchy of Tradgardland Army are the "Landstorme" or local militia. The Dukes of Tradgardland have used this system for centuries and it was in it's heyday during the 18th century, when the borders of the Duchy were secured against the Imperium by these part time soldiers...

A variety of uniforms (or non uniforms so to speak) are worn as can be seen by the pictures. The men are organised in their own locality and serve with brothers,neighbours and friends. In accordance with tradition, and the agricultural calender and it's needs ,the Landstorme meet regularly to train,practice marksmanship (the Duchy is littered with rifle shooting clubs) and compete in a variety of keenly fought local competitions. Thus a high standard of accuracy with the rifle is maintained.

Two Wheels best... part 2

Eli Arndt wanted to see this so here goes...

Two Wheels best...

The Duchy of Tradgardland prides herself upon mobility and modernity albeit touched with the tradition of years gone by. Prior to The Great War, the Ducal forces were reorganized with particular reference to tactical doctrines pertaining to bicycle mounted infantry. This served them well and is reflected in the army of the 1930's.

The current Duke is as "at home " upon a bicycle as he is upon his cavalry mount. Motorcycles too feature heavily as a means of reconnaissance as well as moving troops quickly and efficiently...

Armour...

A regular visitor to the Duchy of Tradgardland was J F C Fuller . He came to gain access to the Duke's collection of ancient manuscripts and books- which were famed across Europe. The two men became good friends and ideas were frequently debated until the small hours of the morning. Theology, Arcane Lore and myriad subjects were tossed around in an atmosphere filled with the heady aroma of pipe smoke...

Fuller contributed to the Duchy by encouraging the Duke to invest in tanks against the advice of his military advisers . This would aid the Duchy in the coming conflict about to engulf Europe..."

An excerpt from Patrick Leigh Fermor's "To Tradgardland and beyond." published by John Murray 1978

1930's Travel Posters...

If any of you chaps are free it is not too late to jump aboard the weekly ferry to Tradgardstadt. It sails shortly from Newcastle Docks and can be recognised by its dilapidated state, friendly crew and rose coloured ensign...

All are welcome in the Duchy to sample a little of the delights available there as Spring begins and Easter is celebrated with rites familiar in the the South yet rarely seen in Northern Europe...

Ducal army...

With limited resources the Ducal Army reveals it's prototype armoured motorcycles...

Gradual developments

This blog does seem to be gathering a momentum of its own, and as a result I have added a few bits and pieces as part of its ongoing development.

The most important of these has been to add links to what I have termed 'Interbellum and related Imagi-nation blogs'. If anyone has any further suggestion for blogs that might fall into this category, please leave a comment (with a link or the URL if possible) and I will add it.

In the meantime I am off to have a cup of tea and a serious think about recent events in Tradgardland. Is war imminent? I wonder...

An introduction to The Duchy of Tradgardland

I feel a bit of fraud in a way as my imagination was first created around three years ago. The Duchy of Tradgardland (situated around the base of Denmark and the top of Germany - if you know what I mean...) was first conceived as a mid 18th Century imagination and has continued to operate as such ever since. It has fought imaginary neighbours and the Imperium aka Austro Hungarian Empire in the Seven Years War.

Elsewhere I have charted the invasion of Tradgardland by the British on their way to to Denmark in 1807, begun to plan a WW1 Ducal army, charted the events of 1918 when Tradgardland became a battleground for Left, Right and even Freikorps!

Now I am thinking in terms of the Inter War period. By the way, I do hope you enjoy this photograph of Tradgardstadt, the capital city. Note well the many cyclists which may be an indicator of why the bicycle features quite heavily in the Ducal Army...

At my blog devoted to Army Red/White (The Swiss Army of 1910 -1939) I have already looked at issues of 1930's uniforms and equipment as part of my Funnylittewars 54mm project.

Hopefully I will be able to intereact upon these pages with the "giants" of the age as well as mere tiddlers like Tradgardland. The next post from me will probably will hopefully outline the political situation in Tradgardland and look at the forces available...